


The Penalties We Pay

by LunaD



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Battle Nexus (TMNT), Family Feels, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, if I tag anything else it'll be spoilers, updating tags as things get revealed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26215354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaD/pseuds/LunaD
Summary: When Splinter falls ill, the boys scramble to pay for treatment, but when they have to choose between eating and their father’s health, Leo makes a risky decision that puts the whole family in danger.
Comments: 56
Kudos: 194





	1. Food for Thought

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, two whole ongoing fics posting side by side? There's no way this can backfire. Enjoy pain.

The boys shuffled in, uncharacteristically quiet. Donatello silently shut the sliding doors as Leo face planted onto the couch. When Donatello turned back, both Raphael and Michelangelo were staring at him, their expressions forlorn. Donnie faked a smile as he rolled out the whiteboard hiding in the corner. His retractable metal arms went to work setting up a graph and the calculations he projected. 

“How was tonight's haul boys?” Raph asked cheerfully.

As the teens filed into the room, they dropped the small wads of cash and coins they had earned for this week. All of the cash mixed together on the main table, making it next to impossible to tell who had brought in what. 

Donnie turned in time to see the mess of bills, screeching at his brothers. “What did I tell you? Put them in piles so I can calculate your net worth!”

Raph grumbled, dividing the amount the best his memory would allow. “Is this really necessary Don? Why does it matter who brought in what?”

“Scoff,” Donald replied as his robotic arms snatched up the cash, “as I told you, it’ll help to know who our breadmaker is and which jobs pay more. Think of it as an incentive, a competition if you will.” He turned to the board, writing the amounts under each of their names as he whispered to himself. “A contest for our father’s life.” He flourished his findings, slinking out of the way as he added happily. “Besides, the more accurate my numbers, the more accurate the outcome will be.”

The whiteboard showed almost a month’s worth of wages between them. The graph outlining their progress also portrayed their color coded earnings in tandem with each other. Raphael was in the lead, his large mass and strength causing him to be quite sought after for laboral work. Next was Donatello, whose technical know-how led him to some high paying jobs. Unfortunately, those were erratic. Don had a tendency to overextend himself, causing some jobs to blow up in his face, much like Albearto. 

After that both Michelangelo and Leonardo’s numbers intertwined. Mikey managed to bring in a fair amount from helping out at Hueso’s restaurant and being commissioned by a few yokai in the Hidden City. Leo on the other hand, had picked up a slew of odd jobs, mostly deliveries thanks to his Odachi. They were quick and simple, but few and far between. 

“Alright, I’ve done all the math and the good news is that we’ll be able to afford Dad’s treatment.” Donatello tapped his fingers together, noting the relief on his brother’s faces. He swallowed, readying himself as he finished up the graph. “The bad news is that it will take at least two years.”

“What?!” Raphael was the first to voice an outburst, his tone raising into shrill territory as he squeezed the pillow in his lap. “You can’t be serious, Donnie!”

Next to him Mikey groaned and sunk farther into his seat, his hands plastering themselves over his eyes. “I’m too young to work menial labor forever!”

“Donnie you can’t be serious? Two whole years?” Leo had gotten up, stepping to his brother instead of the whiteboard, as if his brother somehow had the power to make the number decrease. “There’s gotta be something else we can do! We don’t even know if Splinter will survive that long!”

“I…” Donnie grimaced, looking between his brothers and the board. He was at a loss. Donatello cleared his throat, regaining some composure. “Leo this is the most realistic outcome. With the irregularity of our jobs both in time and pay, I had to average the amount. If that changes, then sure the number will decrease, but part time jobs can only do so much for us.”

Mikey lunged to the end of the couch. “What about the yokai bank? Surely someone there can help us!” Mikey looked up to see Raphael, who placed his hand tenderly on the younger’s head.

“We already tried that little man. No one in their right mind will give a loan to a bunch of mutants with no reliable credit.”

Mikey deflated into the couch, trying not to whimper. Leo grit his teeth, pacing agitatedly between them. “This is stupid! If we could just go to Big Mama, we wouldn’t have to be standing around hoping that we somehow get enough money before Dad gets worse!”

“Leo,” Raph snapped, stopping his train of thought before it got worse, “Pops already told us we couldn’t. You have to let it go.”

“Raph, buddy, think about it! Sure her deals seem to backfire, but Dad and her go way back! I’m sure she’d be willing to help. And even if she isn’t,” Leo placed a hand on his chest, smirking, “I can handle her devious deals.”

Raphael simply shook his head. “We have a plan Leo, we need to stick to it.  _ All  _ of us.”

Donatello quickly faced the white board, his arms furiously changing the graph. “We’ll have to go cold turkey on entertainment and start rationing money for food, but if we can manage to work at least twice as many hours, we could potentially see the numbers recede as much as sixty percent!” 

He stood back to admire his work, tapping the marker to his chin as he nodded. “It’ll be hard, but possible.” To Donnie, these numbers were magical, but for Leo, it still felt impossible. Leonardo walked past Donatello, dismissing the new projected schedule.

“Leo? Where are you goin’?” Raphael inquired.

Leo ignored him, slamming open the doors and making a bee-line for their father’s room.

“Leon, what are you doing?” Donnie asked in a warning tone. 

Leo slammed open Splinter’s doors, marching straight in next to their father’s bedside. Splinter had been fighting a horrible headache when he finally had been able to doze off. Unluckily for him, Leo’s return brought back the headache with him.

“Why won’t you let us go to Big Mama?”

Splinter sighed, pinching his brows as he regarded his son. “Blue, how many times must I tell you, she is an evil not to be trifled with. She’s devious and cunning, and if there’s nothing in it for her, she won’t be interested.”

“Then we’ll just offer her something she’d be interested in! She loves me, I’m her champion. I’ll just smooze with her a bit, maybe destroy another one of her krakens, and then we can get you into surgery.” Leo swept his hand out for emphasis. “Easy peasy just like that!”

Splinter’s voice was short, authoritative. “No! I have already told you many times before. It’s too risky. I forbade you from going to that she-demon, and my decision still stands!”

It had been nearly three months since Splinter had been diagnosed with cancer. Apparently, mutating with a rat made him more susceptible to the disease. Splinter himself was the first person to accept his fate. The treatment was just too expensive for them to be able to afford. 

None of them had enough yokai credit to apply for an installment plan, so the only option was to pay up front, or not at all. Splinter had been touched that his boys were willing to work themselves to the bone for him. But they were on a timer, and Donatello’s projections would be cutting it too close for Leo’s liking. 

He had gone to Splinter before about finding a faster way to earn cash, but even on his deathbed, Splinter would protect his sons. As fascinating and wonderful as the Hidden City was, it was also full of dangers. The four were simply too young to be looking for easy money. They could end up in the wrong crowd, kidnapped, or in jail if they weren’t careful.

From behind Leo his three brothers peered in from the corner of the door, their heads stacking on one another as they quietly observed. “Why are you being so stubborn?” Leonardo balled his fists, his body rising as he inhaled, forcing the tears back. “Don’t you understand? You could die at this rate!”

Splinter closed his eyes, any anger behind his words fell away as a gentle tone replaced it. “I don’t expect you to understand Blue, but I would rather die in the company of my loving boys, then live knowing what it cost.” Splinter reached over to grab Leo’s hand, his fist relaxing into his father’s touch. “I would do anything to make sure my boys didn’t have to live the life I lived, even if that means doing nothing at all.”

At this point the room felt too heavy for the other turtles, and they decided to quietly leave the two undisturbed. The remaining turtles shuffled into the living room, an awkward air stirring their emotions. Mikey was the first to speak up, his voice small but hopeful.

“Do you think Barry would be able to help Dad?”

“Scoff,” Donatello crossed his arms, “you really think Dad would let Draxum give him a mysterious cure he cooked up in his lab?”

“No,” Mikey hung his head, “I guess not.”

Raphael placed a hand on Mikey’s shoulder. “Chin up Mikey, for now we just have to respect Pop’s wishes.” He placed his other hand on Donatello’s shoulder, noting the slight pout on the turtle. “We’ll get through this, together.”

The next few weeks were hard. All four turtles were exhausted. Their life seemingly consisted of nothing but working, eating, and sleeping. For anyone, it was a depressing cycle. The only thing that kept them going was Donnie’s money graph, the amount slowly being chipped away as the weeks went by. 

It was hard, but they managed to cut down on any unnecessary expenses. Raphael hadn’t realized just how much they ate until each bite came down to the penny. Now it was impossible to even look at food without calculating the cost in his head. He missed being able to just stuff an entire pizza in his mouth without caring what it cost. 

The worst off was Mikey. The poor kid had an endless pit for a stomach, and all snacking items had been deemed ‘non-essential’. The first week Mikey went without any junk food was the hardest. Mikey wailed about all the snacks he missed, and Raphael almost caved right there. Thankfully Donatello had been there, patting his arm as he chided.

“Be strong, brother. It’s for his own good.”

The boys rarely had time to hang out with each other in the next month. Like ships passing in the night, they saw each other. Their comings and goings becoming their only time to catch up. The boys, however, always made sure at least one person was home with Splinter at all times. They worried constantly about his health, but Splinter, despite how he seemed, refused to be coddled. 

On one particularly rare night, all four had been home for dinner. Donatello once again brought in the white board for this month’s budget review. He cleared his throat, stepping aside from the new graph. “One of you is slacking!”

All three turtles exchanged incredulous looks. Donatello whipped out a long metal pointer, slamming it into the board dramatically. “Our numbers have been severely lacking this month and it’s throwing off my calculations!”

“Relax, Donnie.” Leo started. “It can’t be that bad. We’re all working our butts off constantly. We know what’s at stake, everyone here wouldn’t jeopardize Dad’s health by skipping out on work.”

Donatello, unfazed, stared at his brother as he flipped the board. The other side showed the change in timeline Don had been talking about. All three turtles stood from their chairs, outcries of surprise filling the kitchen.

“Eleven months?!”

“I thought you said we were only eight months out?”

“Yes, yes,” Donatello tutted, “I did say that didn’t I?” He placed a hand on his chin, peering at the ceiling as he sarcastically replied. “Huh, it’s almost like no one believed me when I said we had to fill a quota and stay on budget to meet our target.”

“Donnie,” Raph pleaded, “are you sure this is correct? Eight whole months? I don’t know if Pops has that long! You’ve seen him, he acts like it’s nothing, but he’s getting weaker.”

Mikey sunk into his shell, his eyes welling up. “What if we don’t make it in time? What are we gonna do?” 

Raph stared at his youngest sibling, his heart broke for him. Without Splinter, he’d have to be the one taking care of them all. Could he even do that? Would he have to step up as a parent as well as a leader? Raph snapped back into the present, feeling all three of his brother’s gazes on him. He looked to each of them, their worried faces seeking support.

“I…” Raphael started. “We’ll have to implement some penalties.”

“Like what?” Leo asked sardonically. “Work even more?”

“No,” Raphael growled, “work can’t be the penalty. It has to be something else.”

Donatello turned back to the board. “It has to affect our pay, to make up for the lack in funds.” Donatello narrowed down the categories on the budgeting table. “We’ll have to transfer any remaining amount from our allowance each month, that should take care of the majority of it. But we still have the issue of penalty.”

Leo slammed his face on the table. “That blow money was all that was keeping me sane! Now I can’t even afford a bottle of water.” 

“Well, that’s what happens when we don’t stick to the plan.” Donatello commented dryly. “It affects all of us.”

“Alright Donnie,” Raph asked, crossing his arms, “what does that leave as a penalty if our allowance is gone?”

Donatello sighed, circling the amount left red. There was only one category left, and the implications left a dreadful taste in Don’s mouth. “The only thing we can take it out of is food.”

No one said a word. For a long while no one spoke. Finally, Raphael took the bullet. 

“How much, Dee?”

Donatello took a deep breath, turning back to the board. “We can’t take it out on all of us, it wouldn’t be a penalty then. So, whoever rakes in the least amount of cash has to start skipping meals until we’re back in the green.”

Leonardo balled his fists on the table, whispering. “I can’t believe it’s come to this. ”

Raphael ignored him, finally asking the question no one wanted the answer to. “Who is it Don? Who brought in the least amount of green this week? Whoever it is, we can take it.”

Donatello shuffled his feet uneasily. Without a word he turned back to the board, flipping it as he began a new chart. It wasn’t color coded this time, only causing the tension in the air to rise as they awaited the answer. Finally, Donatello lowered his hand, moving back to take a look at the different amounts. 

Although he knew the answer already, he still looked on in disappointment. For once, he wished he had been the one to fail. The four brothers stared at the board. Raphael was still at the highest amount, followed this time by Leo instead of Don. Lastly, scrawled out was Mikey.

Mikey withered into his shell, knitting his eyebrows as he picked at the wooden table. “I’m sorry guys. I swear, I really am trying. It’s really hard to find clients.” All three brothers felt a kick to their gut. If it had been literally anyone other than their youngest, it would have been fine. Why did it have to be Mikey?

Dinner was the most painful experience any of them had ever experienced. They silently moved the food around their plate, staring at it in guilt as they listened to Mikey’s stomach growl. He simply accepted his hungry fate as he stared at his own empty plate, debating whether or not it was edible. The worst part though, was that Mikey had been the one to make dinner this time. 

All three older brothers had suddenly lost their appetite. Raphael was the first to break, sliding part of his meal onto the youngest’s plate. Donatello and Leonardo followed suit, sharing their own despite the harsh ruling that had been agreed upon. Their appetites returned as Mikey silently shoveled the food into his mouth, sniffling back tears at his brother’s kindness.


	2. Insomnia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo's first battle is within.

Leo stared at the ceiling in his room. Even though he had work early tomorrow, he couldn’t shut off his brain. His thoughts kept going back to their dinner earlier. How had it gotten so bad? They had never needed to be this careful about money, shell, they barely ever even had that much money to their name and they had done just fine. He didn’t understand it. Why was Splinter’s surgery so expensive?

Couldn’t Donnie just do it himself? Leo pictured his madman of a sibling, laughing maniacally as he revved the many saws and blades in his tech bo.  _ No. _ Leo decided, waving his hand at the imaginary thought bubble.  _ Donnie can’t be trusted with any of our bodies.  _ Leo shivered at the thought. He sighed, rolling over for the hundredth time in the last hour. The insomnia was unrelenting, the hours ticking by despite everything. 

Growling as his frustration peaked, Leo kicked off his sheets, forgoing sleep all together. He slinked out of his room, deciding if he was going to be alone with his thoughts for the remainder of the morning, at least he could be reading. He moved past the other bedrooms, Raphael’s loud snoring making any other noise impossible to detect. 

As he made his way to the living room to retrieve his book from the deflated bean bag, he noticed the light on in the kitchen. Suddenly curious, Leo forgoed the book in lue of seeing who was also up this early. As he entered the kitchen, he could see the brown pliable shell of his sibling by the fridge. 

Donatello had his head in the freezer, the door shut slightly as it kept as much of the cold air in as it could. Leo stared at the image in front of him, trying to figure out the surreal development. 

“Uh,” Leo drawled, “hey Donnie?”

Donatello yelped, flipping out as his brother startled him straight out of his shell. He involuntarily hit his head on the rack holding an ice tray above him before he managed to pull himself out. He turned to Leo, wincing and rubbing his unmasked head.

Leo noted his baggy eyes, no doubt his brother was in the same boat. “Don’t you think you’re a little young to be cryogenically freezing your brain?”

Donatello closed the door with a sigh. “No Leon. I have an excruciating headache, no thanks to you, and I can’t find any pain medication.”

Leo crossed his arms as he leaned on the counter. “Wouldn’t it be easier to take something out of the freezer, instead of placing your whole head in?”

“While normally I would agree,” Donatello began, “we used up all the frozen vegetables this week, and Mikey forgot to refill the ice tray.”

Leo grunted absentmindedly while he stared at the floor. The conversation ended there, and Donatello looked his brother over. Leo’s expression was pretty unreadable, but Don could tell he was pretty far away in his thoughts.

“What are you doing up so early?” Donatello asked slyly as he opened the fridge. 

“Couldn’t sleep.” Leonardo replied curtly.

“Uh-huh,” Donatello grabbed the quart of milk, placing it against his temple as he swiped the fridge door closed with his foot. “What’s stealing your beauty sleep tonight?”

Leonardo chewed his lip, tapping his foot impatiently. Part of him didn’t want to share his worries, but another part wished for nothing more than to dump all the irritating thoughts onto the kitchen floor.

“It’s just,” Leo finally started, “I don’t get it! At first Splinter wants nothing more than to get treatment for his cancer, but then once we find out how much it costs, he totally did a 180! It’s like, he doesn’t believe that we’re capable of doing this. Why doesn’t he believe in us?”

“Leo,” Donatello sighed, “of course Dad believes in us. He just has a really hard time relying on others for help. Especially if it’s something he feels like he can control.”

Leonardo scoffed, crossing his arms. “What part of getting cancer is something you can control?”

Donatello simply shook his head. “You don’t get it Leo, you’re still looking at this from an outside perspective. It’s the fact that it’s his own body. Something we all feel like we should be able to have control over.” 

“So what,” Leonardo asked incredulously, “it’s a pride thing?”

“Perhaps.” Donatello replied absentmindedly. Slowly, Donatello lowered the milk, his hand unconsciously curling to touch his shell. “This sort of thing reminds you that even something as simple as this, you have no power over.” Donatello turned away, placing the milk back in the fridge. “It’s a pretty difficult realization to come to terms with.”

Leonardo eyed his brother. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, but he didn’t feel like making a joke to lighten the mood. Donatello had a point, but even with his brother’s insight, Leo would rather hear it from Splinter himself. Suddenly Leo grinned, turning to his sibling. “Do you want me to rub your head?”

Donatello almost fell to the floor with a cry of happiness. His comically quick acceptance caused Leo to laugh. Don sat at the table as Leo propped himself on it, getting to work massaging his brother’s head. It only took a few minutes before Don was complete butter underneath his fingers. He watched literal years fall away from Don the more relaxed he got.

They enjoyed each other’s company silently, and Leo let his mind wander as he checked out from reality. It was hard standing by when he clearly could do something to help his father. Leo tried to put himself into the situation Don had talked about. He thought about Big Mama again. It was the simplest solution, wasn’t it? 

Leonardo had thought it could solve all of their problems quickly. Then, none of them would have to watch Splinter waste away as they scrambled to save every penny they could. But when none of his brother’s had backed him up, Leo felt alone. He was starting to second guess himself.

Leo was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed his older brother walk in until one of the cupboards squeaked open. Leonardo jumped, craning around to see Raphael bringing down a teapot to the burner. Leo turned back, noting his now peacefully passed out brother on his lap, a pile of drool collecting on the table. Leo grimaced, carefully transferring Don’s head off his knees.

He moved around next to Raphael, who was nodding off as he filled the teapot with tap water. It wasn’t until the teapot started overflowing that Leonardo finally spoke up. “Uh, Raph?”

Raphael grunted. 

“I think it’s full buddy.”

In a haze Raphael turned off the water, pouring half of the contents back into the sink. He shuffled over to the burner, placing it on the eye before resting his face against the cupboards. Leo chuckled at his older brother’s sleepy behavior, and retreated to the living room to grab a blanket. As he placed it over Donatello’s body, he heard Raphael grumbling.

“Why is this still not boiling?”

Leonardo returned to the snapper’s side, unsure whether to feel amusement or pity. The poor guy had forgotten to turn the burner on. Leo patted Raphael’s arm, scooting him out of the way as he sneakily turned it on high. “Buddy, why don’t you carry Don up to his bed, I’ll bring Splinter his morning tea.”

Raphael looked around, clearly having overlooked the fact that his sibling was currently sleeping at the breakfast table. Raphael shook his head. “Man we are a mess.” Raphael hefted his brother up effortlessly. Pausing at the edge of the kitchen. “Leo?” Raphael asked, some clarity breaking though the sleep fog.

“Hm?” Leo responded absentmindedly as he readied the tea tray.

“Pops has had a rough past couple of days. So just, be civil alright?”

Leo stared at the steam emanating from the japanese pot. He rolled the cup between his palms. Leo knew that Raphael had Splinter’s best interest in mind, but he still couldn’t help but feel a slight sting at his words. Raphael should be fighting beside him, helping him instead of tempering him. It felt like he didn’t feel the same urgency that Leo did. 

“I will.” Leo responded without looking up.

With the freshly brewed drink in hand, Leo made his way over to his father’s room. He knocked at Splinter’s door, opening it carefully as he balanced the tray on his arm. “Morning, up for some tea, Dad?” 

“Blue?” Splinter groaned, attempting to rise from his lying position. “What are you doing here?”

Leo set the tray on the side table, stuffing some pillows behind his father’s back. “I took over for Raphael. He was so out of it I’m sure your tea would have just ended up being hot water.” Leo laughed. He poured out a cup and handed it to Splinter, who hummed as the warmth spread to his hands. 

“Green tea today?” Splinter said absentmindedly, “Something on your mind?”

Leo stared at his own cup of tea, watching his rippling reflection stare back at him. He set the cup down, finally taking in the sight of his father. He tried not to stare at the mound on Splinter’s shoulder. The tumor had grown quite large, like a parasite it began stealing his father’s energy. Splinter was still fairly healthy all things considered, but Leo had never once looked at the situation for what it was. No, he didn’t have that luxury.

Ever since they found out, all Leo could think about was life after the fact. His broken family, a hole left by someone who had, and always would be their rock. If Leo was being honest, it terrified him. And fear was a powerful motivator. He didn’t understand why his family didn’t feel the same way. Didn’t they see how serious this was? Didn’t they care?

_ That’s not fair _ , Leo corrected himself,  _ of course they care _ . Leo shook his head. He didn’t always understand or agree with his father’s decisions, but he thought after everything, his father- his family- would trust him like he trusted them. But they hadn’t.

Suddenly Splinter’s hand was over his son’s. Leo realized he must have been thinking for far longer than he had. “What ails you, my son?”

“I-” Leo began, “I can’t do this.” Leo’s own tongue betrayed him. “I can’t sit around and watch you die, knowing I could do something!”

Splinter’s gaze softened. He placed his own teacup next to his sons, and covered his son’s hands with his own. “Leo.” Splinter said sternly. Leonardo looked up, knowing that tone of voice. “You are already doing everything that I ask of you. Anything more is outside your control.”

There was a dim light emanating from the corner lanturn. It was soft enough that it didn’t blind your eyes when waking. The paper covering it had been ripped more than once, but Mikey had managed to repair the delicate paper with colorful shaped cutouts. The light was warm, and made him feel safe. 

Leonardo begged his voice not to crack. “Then why do I feel so powerless?” 

Splinter squeezed Leonardo’s hands. The strong smell of the tea replayed old memories in his mind. “Power, my son, is not found in oneself, but in each other.” Splinter raised the slider’s head to look at him. “Much like the ant,” Splinter began, “alone they are weak, but together,” Splinter placed Leo’s hands together for emphasis, “they can move mountains.”

Leonardo searched his father’s face, it was shadowed and aged, but the warmth it held overwhelmed him. Was Splinter not terrified like him? How could he be so calm about everything that has happened? Leonardo felt overwhelmed by the amount of strength he found in his father. The moment, however, was destroyed by an intrusive thought.

_ How many more times will I be able to see that face look at me like that? _ Leonardo could hold back no longer, launching himself at the rat. He managed to burrow his face into the furry form before the tears began to drop. He released all the pent up frustrations from the last few months. Splinter simply rubbed the boy’s shell, cooing him as Leo silently melted into his father’s comfort.

Leonardo remembered hearing his father’s hushed words whispered to him, though he couldn’t make them out. Before he could ask however, Splinter had begun singing a Japanese lullaby to him. He must have fallen asleep soon after because when he woke up, he was in the same spot, several hours later, with his father still absentmindedly rubbing his shell.

The following night Splinter had kicked them all out of the lair. He had insisted on needing some time alone. As much as Splinter loved his boys, being around them constantly for the last several months was beginning to drive him crazy. So, reluctantly, the boys headed to April’s for game night. 

Raphael took this the hardest, worrying constantly about the ‘what ifs’ while they would be away. Splinter dismissed all of that, sitting comfortably in the living room as Raphael read off a list of things he had piled up around their father in case he needed them. 

By the time they were leaving, Raphael had brought half the lair within grasp of their father, as well as forced Donatello to make a trolley system from the kitchen to the living room. All three of his brother’s were attempting to push the reluctant snapper out of the lair as he continued talking.

“There are meals in the fridge, please remember to eat something Pops. There are also three panic buttons,” Raphael pointed at the many piles for emphasis, “here, here, and here.”

“Raph, enough!”

“Let’s go man, April is waiting for us!”

“Dad will be fine for a few hours, we have to go.”

“Alright, alright!” Raphael snapped, shouting back to their father as he was pushed farther away. “Just remember to call if you need anything! Love you Pops!”

Splinter chuckled at his son. His largest boy somehow, despite his size, couldn’t for the world of him contain all the love he had to give.

“Ah-ha!” April shouted, taking the last of Raphael’s money. “Lady Luck’s not on your side tonight Raph!”

Raphael whimpered as the last of his small plastic houses were ripped from the board, replaced with April’s own green ones. He picked up the tiny wheelbarrow in his massive palm, whispering regrets to it. “I failed you, your dreams of building a beautiful botanical garden, dashed!”

“Cheer up brother,” Mikey smiled, “I’ll raise a memorial statue for the little guy in my luxury hotel-slash-arcade.”

Raphael smiled at his brother’s warmhearted gesture, even if Raphael was mostly being dramatic on purpose. On the other side of the board, April had gone quiet, staring at the large wad of plastic money she had accumulated from tonight's defeat. 

“Man, I really wish I could help you guys out more. I just…” April admitted, “I wish there was some sort of USD to yokai exchange rate, you know?”

“April…” Mikey started.

“If you ask me, he should stop being so difficult.” The five teens turned to Draxum, who had been sitting at the counter, pouting after his own earlier defeat. 

April narrowed her eyes, “Yeah, well no one asked you Barry.”

“April,” Leo chided, ignoring them, “you’re already doing enough. This game night is a great distraction. You’re keeping all of us sane.”

“Yeah April,” Raphael added, “you’re already doing everything you can. To expect any more than you’ve already done would be crazy talk.”

“I know,” April replied, “but I feel like I’m taking away from time you guys could be spending to get more money for Splints.”

“Father probably knew we’d feel guilty about taking time for ourselves instead of working.” Donatello stated matter-of-factly, “If he takes the choice from us, it’s harder to feel guilty about it.”

April blinked at Donatello’s response, surprisingly at a loss for words at the turtle’s logic. “I suppose that’s true.” April agreed.

“Alright!” Mikey perked up, slamming a new board game onto the table. “Who’s up for Snakes and Electrocution!” Mikey laughed maniacally, causing the rest of the table to cower away from him. Leo decided to sit this one out, and snuck away from the group as Mikey begane setting up the game. 

He casually joined Draxum, perching himself on the counter beside him. Draxum was eyeing his small figurine from the previous game, both enthralled and confused by the small metal dog. “Such an abomination,” he whispered, “I knew I should have picked the top hat. Betrayal would not have been so unforeseen.”

Leo cleared his throat awkwardly, leaning in close while trying to remain cool. “So,” Leonardo drawled, “I have a totally hypothetical question.” Leo placed his hands together, tapping the tips of his fingers against each other. “Let’s say you promised not to do something, but, by not doing that thing someone you care about could get hurt. Would you keep your promise and their trust, or would you betray them and keep them safe?” Leo pauses, quickly restating, “All totally hypothetical.”

“Of course.” Draxum agrees dryly. “Well,” Draxum clears his throat, “since this is clearly all hypothetical, I think you should hypothetically find someone else to bother with your trivial problems.”

Leonardo scowled at Draxum, scoffing as he jumped down from the counter. “I knew I shouldn’t have even bothered.”

Draxum watches Leo for a moment, tapping his nail against the counter. “Wait.” 

Leo stopped, turning back slightly, not ready to get his hopes up. Draxum eyed him, choosing his response carefully. “This is hypothetically about someone you hold dear to you, right?”

Leo nodded, returning to the yokai’s side. 

“If that’s the case,” Draxum began, “then I would do whatever it took.”

Leo turned to look at him, clearly surprised at the yokai’s response. “Even if it went against their morals?”

Draxum scooted the small dog along, slowly, until it rested directly in front of the slider. “I think,” Draxum stared at Leo, his gaze unwavering, “the question you should be asking is, does it go against yours?”

Without another word, their conversation ended. Draxum didn’t answer Leo’s question, but in the end, Leo had his answer.

After the games ended, the turtles headed back home. Quality time was quite rare lately, and greatly needed, so the remainder of the night was spent hanging out together in the living room. They were all too tired to do anything else, so in an effort to lighten the atmosphere, the boys decided to watch a movie. 

They had been picking out which Jupiter Jim movie to watch when Raphael looked around, suddenly noting a missing presence. “Wait, where’s Leo?” 

The other two wearily looked up, briefly searching the empty space before Donatello offered a reply. “Perhaps he’s holed up in his room?”

“He was pretty quiet after dinner, I wonder if he’s okay.” Mikey thought aloud.

Raphael sighed, his shoulders hanging slightly. “Can you guys keep an ear out for Pops? I’ll go check on him.” Raphael made his way up to Leo’s room. Unsurprisingly, the curtain to Leo’s pad was drawn shut. Half expecting his brother to yell at him to go away, Raphael knocked on the frame. When he was met with silence, Raphael tried again. 

“Leo, buddy, just want to make sure you’re okay.” Raphael searched the wrinkles of the old curtain, debating what to do. “I should really just take a peak, make sure he’s okay.” He moved his hand towards the curtain. “Just a quick peek, no harm done.” He reassured himself. Suddenly, his own other hand grabbed at his wrist, forcing it away. “No! Just leave him be!” He argued with himself, “We’re all going through a lot right now and Leo could use some space.”

Raphael growled at himself, moving his hands against each other as he fought back and forth. “But he could need someone to talk to! You saw how he looked at dinner, what if he’s crying?” Raphael smacked his hand away, attempting to move back from Leo’s doorway. “Leo’s a big boy. If he needs you, he knows where to find you! You can support him without smothering him!” Raphael’s arm shot out to the curtain again in a last ditch effort to reach his brother. “There’s no harm in asking how someone is! It’s his choice if he wants to talk, we’re just giving him the invitation.”

“Uh, whatcha doing there, big guy?” 

Raphael froze, hearing the clearing of a throat from behind him. He was currently biting the arm that was reaching out towards the curtain. When he noticed Leonardo behind him, he quickly shoved his now bruised arms behind his shell in an attempt to act normal. 

“Nothing. I mean, just coming to check up on you.” 

Leo’s eyes darted to the side, his smile faltering. Raphael caught this change and stepped forward as he added, “Look, I know things have been really hard lately, especially with Dad’s decision.” Raphael placed a warm hand on his brother’s shoulder. “But we’re all going through this together, don’t forget that. You’re not alone, Leo.”

Leonardo’s shoulders hunched a bit before he casually slid his brother’s hand off. “Relax bro, I’m just going to get some shut eye. I’ve got a job later tonight.” Leo moved a hand over his smooth head, smiling at his brother confidently. “You don’t get this beautiful by sleeping the amount of hours that Donnie does.”

Raphael rolled his eyes, but before he could respond, Leo was already inside his room, the curtain drawn shut again. Raphael turned away before hesitating, his fingers fidgeting as he remained at the doorway. He turned back, quickly adding, “Just remember Leo, no matter what, you can always count on me. Even if you just need to talk, okay?” 

Unfortunately, Raphael’s words fell on deaf ears. On the other side of the curtain, waited nothing but the remnants of a portal. 

Leonardo stepped out of the portal and onto the smooth black tile with confidence. If he was going to do this, he needed to be all in. No second guessing, no turning back. No matter the consequences. Even if his father hated him, at least he'd be alive to hate him.

The room was quite dark, the long office seeming to stretch on farther as shadows danced across the walls. The moon outside cast an impressively bright glow through the tall slender windows at the opposite end, outlining the large figure standing in sight.

“Well,” the loud emphatic voice purred, greeting Leonardo as he made his entrance. “What an unexpectedly scrumptious surprise this is.” The figure’s size grew as it rose, six red eyes twinkling curiously at the turtle.

Leonardo puffed his chest, perching his Odachi on his shoulder as a smile stretched across his face. “Big Mama,” Leo called warmly as he made his way over, “just the giant yokai spider I was hoping to see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue takes me a million years to write, but give me a scene and I can write a whole page about the look and feel in ten minutes. I hate myself.


	3. Blind Eye

Michelangelo sat on the beanbag in his room, his eyes starting to feel strained from overuse. He glanced up, groaning as he crumpled yet another flier up and threw it behind him. He placed his head in his hands, taking a moment of reproach for himself. He was debating on if he should call it a night, when his stomach growled. 

He placed his hands on his stomach, suddenly feeling angry at his own body.  _ Why do I have to be so hungry all the time? _ He never realized how much he ate until they had to start budgeting meals. Now he was painfully aware of how easy it used to be to snack whenever he wanted. 

He heard the patter of paper, and turned to see the crumpled ball he had thrown earlier roll towards him. Suddenly afraid of the possessed trash, Mikey screeched and dashed to his hammock. The ghostly paper wouldn’t be able to reach him up here, he hoped.

Mikey heard laughter from his doorway and peeked up from his hiding spot to see Leo leaning against the frame of the door. “Leo!” Mikey exclaimed angrily, “You scared me out of my shell! What’re you doing up so late?”

Leo sauntered in, his movements quite stiff despite the relaxed nature he was trying to convey. “I could ask you the same thing Mikester. What’s keeping you up so late?”

Mikey’s eyes darted to the pile of papers on his floor. “Making up for my mistake,” he confessed.

Leonardo cocked a brow at him as he leaned down to pick up one of the papers. There were several listings from the Hidden City.  _ Ah, job hunting, _ Leo realized. He sighed, placing the paper back as he jumped onto the hammock with his brother. The bed swung, almost causing the box turtle to tumble out. Leo steadied him, and Mikey righted himself, sitting up and crossing his legs as his brother settled in beside him. 

“Still worried about your earnings, huh?” Leo tentatively asked.

Mikey nodded, picking at his nails as the hammock swung. His voice was surprisingly small. “I don’t want to be the reason we can’t save Dad in time.”

Leo was taken aback. He wished he hadn’t left his brother this long with his thoughts. “Mikey no, listen, that’s not going to happen. And it most certainly won’t be your fault.” Leo gently grabbed his brother, turning him to make eye contact when Mikey continued to stare at the ground. “We all know you’re doing your best. No one thinks less of you, and besides, this was just a dry spell. Next week for sure I know you’ll bring in more money than all of us.” Leo tried to encourage.

Mikey peered up slyly at Leo. “More than even Raph?” He joked. 

“Oh yeah,” Leo drawled, leaning back. “Trust me, I have a good feeling about this next week.” Leo smirked, grabbing his brother’s hand as he jumped from the hammock. He rubbed the top of Mikey’s head rough and affectionately before he placed something in his palm. “Trust me little bro, Hueso’s customers will be raining in the cash for you!”

Mikey couldn’t help the smile from spreading on his face as Leo continued to quietly yell his encouraging words as he made his way out. When his brother’s words finally faded, Mikey continued to swing in the hammock, the smile still stuck on his face. He opened the palm of his hand, wondering what his brother had placed there. Mikey was more than touched to see Leo’s favorite lucky rock. He clutched it close as he curled up in bed, his feet tapping happily against the wall as he rocked in the hammock.

Maybe this week wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“Alright you roustabouts!” Donatello announced, tapping the white board. “I hope you took your jobs more seriously this week to make up for that substantially overestimated gross from last time!”

The next meeting had crept up surprisingly quick this week, and as an incentive to gain more profit, Raphael had suggested a sort of prize be awarded to increase motivation. As outlandish as some of the ideas had been, the boys opted for a simple pizza. A whole, delicious, freshly made pie all to themselves. Pizza was already a prized commodity in the household, but ever since they had to implement the mandatory budget, it became worth its weight in gold.

Donatello watched Sheldon scribble his calculations on the graph. As he muttered about family expenditures, the other turtles couldn’t help but notice their brother sinking in on themselves. Raphael and Leonardo exchanged glances as Michelangelo melted into his shell. Before either of them could ask, Donatello’s booming voice drew their attention.

Don presented the back side of the board, a plush red curtain covering the results. Donatello smiled, placing a hand on his chest as he teased his brothers. “Alas dear brothers, you all performed adequately, but I think we all know who the winner is this week.”

Raphael crossed his arms, too tired for Donatello’s charade. “Just show us the numbers already, Don.”

“Fine.” Donatello said plainly, turning to pull back the curtain in one swift motion. There was a singular moment of silence as the boys processed the results, Donatello, ever surprised, was the first to react. “Wha- but that’s impossible!” Donatello gawked, staring at the board. “Sheldon!” Donatello screeched, “What’s the meaning of this?”

Sheldon hovered on the opposite side of the board, shrugging his circular appendages in feigned apology. “Sorry dude, but the numbers don’t lie.”

Somehow both Mikey and Leo had managed to surpass their siblings in income. The two exchanged heated high fives as Raphael realized for the first time since this began, he was in last. Thankfully though, they all had earned their quota, meaning no one had to go without food. 

“Omigosh!” Mikey’s eyes shown with sparkles, he felt like an intense weight was lifted from him all at once. He palmed the lucky rock, gazing at it with renewed respect. “I can’t believe it worked.”

Leo chuckled to himself. He grinned, crossing his legs and resting them on the table as he leaned back to reply to his brother. “Read it and weep Donald!”

“I can’t believe this!” Donatello whispered to himself, “I sacrificed sleep to work on client’s projects!” He stepped towards the slider, pulling his mask off to show the bags under his eyes for emphasis. “I did the calculations beforehand, there was no way you would have been able to beat me!”

Leonardo was unphased, still glowing in his victory. He reached over to swipe his winnings, the glorious pizza awaiting in the center of the table. “I’ll be taking this!”

Raphael finally recovered from his shock, turning to the slider. “With these kinds of earnings, we could pay for Pops treatment by the end of the month!” The other turtles, too caught up in the competition, suddenly realized their brother’s train of thought. They turned expectantly as Raphael added. “Leo, you gotta tell us what kind of job you snagged!”

Leo blanched, looking up to see all three of his brother’s eyes on him. Shoot, he hadn’t thought about that. Of course they’d want to know how he made the money. It made the most sense, find the best paying work, and all of them get hired. 

“Uh,” Leo stuttered, feeling the sweat start to collect on his forehead. “Sorry bros, it was a one and done kinda gig. If they need me to help out again, I’ll ask them if they could use a few extra hands.”

Thankfully they bought it, not questioning him further. They were all pretty relieved that they had met the goal for this week, and even more ecstatic that Mikey was well off. No one wanted to see any of them go hungry. The first time had already been one too many.

Suddenly the screen on Don’s wrist went off. “I gotta repair the quantum physics analyzer!” He glared at his brother, sneering at him with a dramatic hiss. “This isn’t over Leo, I’ll remember this.”

Once Don dashed from the kitchen, Leo brought the pizza close to him. He opened up the lid, almost physically melting into the pie. He would be relishing in his victory meal all day. 

“Thanks Leo,” Mikey started as the rest disbursed from the kitchen, “you really came in clutch this week.” Mikey placed the lucky rock back in his brother's hand.

Leo thought for a moment, placing it back in Mikeys possession. “Keep it bro. I’d like you to have it.” Leo smiled warmly.

Mikey’s eyes grew to the size of saucers, sparkling at his brother’s gesture. “You mean it?” Mikey squeaked, launching himself at his brother when he nodded. Leo allowed himself to be pelted with thanks as Mikey squeezed the air from his throat. He chuckled, petting the box turtle’s head. 

As Mikey began to dash from the kitchen, Leo called back to him. Mikey turned in time to see a piece of pizza collide with his face. Unfazed, Mikey ate it in impressively few bites. Mikey’s eyes teared up as he placed his hands on his face. “It tastes like if heaven and cheese had a baby. Leo you’re the best, I love you bro!” 

Leo laughed, picking up his own piece to chow down on as he waved his little brother out. “And don’t you forget it Miguel.”

Unfortunately for Leo, the following meeting would not have similar results.

This time the winnings were Mikey, Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo respectively. Leo thought Mikey would be ecstatic to have made more money than all of them for once. But while his brothers pelted Mikey with praise, he couldn't help but notice the serious expression on his siblings face. After the end, Leo scooted the pizza closer to his brother, the other siblings having already taken off for work. 

“Mikey what’s up? I thought you’d be stuffing your face by now.”

Mikey stared to the slice in front of him, his brows knit together. “I don't understand,” He started, “I thought maybe it was a mistake last time, maybe some customers tipped more than they were supposed to…But, the thing is, I counted my earnings this week. And they don’t match up with what Don had written.”

Leo draped his arm around his brother, a response already prepared. “As long as you have that lucky rock of yours, you’ll be bringing in the big bucks for sure. Doesn’t matter how, that’s just how magic works.”

Mikey was quiet for a moment, considering his brother’s words. “I gave it to Dad.”

“What?” Leo slid his arm off, straightening slightly.

“The rock,” Mikey started, still staring at the pizza. “I thought it would help Dad so I slipped it into his pocket after the last meeting.” Mikey tugged on his belt, finally making eye contact with Leo. 

Leo blanched. Of course he did. Of course his sweet, ever considerate little brother would give the stone to their ailing father. Leo felt so stupid for not predicting that. Without the stone, Leo didn’t have a proper excuse. If Mikey found out why he had made so much money, he’d want to know how Leo was making enough for both his own quota as well as Mikey’s. 

Leo panicked, trying to think of an alternative. He pondered the question, wanting to seem as realistic as possible. “Do you think Don lied?”

Mikey’s eyes widened, he hadn’t thought about that. He responded slowly, sounding a bit skeptical. “I don’t know, Donnie’s a pretty bad liar.”

Leo sat back, Mikey was getting too smart for his own good despite being only thirteen. “Maybe Raphael is secretly stacking your pile?”

Mikey’s eyes lit with clarity. “That could be it.” Suddenly Mikey’s demeanor shifted, a slightly hurt look on his face. “Does he think I can’t do it on my own?”

“Mikey, no.” Leo defended quickly, “I’m sure he just worries about you. We all do.” Leo sat up straight, wanting to come across more serious. “None of us want to see each other fail. As fun as competition is, watching your brother go hungry just isn’t it. If it were any of us, we’d all do the same. That’s just how family is.”

Mikey nodded in understanding, but his face was still solemn. “I should thank him.”

“No!” Leo replied a little too hastily, causing his brother to jump. Leo cleared his throat, backpedaling. “Let Raphael think he’s helping you out. We wouldn’t want to make him feel bad about doing it behind your back.”

“Yeah, yeah you’re right.” This seemed to cheer the box turtle up, as a small smile played on his lips. “Thanks Leo.”

Leo sighed, relieved to have dodged another close call. “Anytime Miguel.”

Leo decided to spend the remainder of the day in bed. He had work that night and wanted to get as much sleep as he could to make up for the constant late outings. It was nice hearing Mikey happily humming along to his music next door as he drifted asleep. 

For once in a long time, Mikey actually felt like drawing. He’d been so exhausted mentally and physically from work lately that it was hard to find the energy to do the things he used to enjoy. He was thankful for his brothers, their unyielding support. That love overflowed inside him. He had to use it as an outlet. Mikey drew his brothers from memory, in heroic poses, with cool costumes, as well as simply lazing around the lair together. 

Suddenly, Mikey decided he should make a thank you for his siblings, and went to work straight away on the new pieces. After a few hours and one throbbing wrist later, Mikey stretched from his hunched position, his bones cracking in relief. He snatched up the gifts, tiptoeing into his brother’s room. Leo had fallen asleep, so Mikey quietly placed the folded paper safely under one of Leo’s books on his bedside table. 

Leo had knocked off most of his blanket, his form sprawled out on the bed. His leg hung over the edge as he hugged his pillow against his chest. Mikey smiled at his big brother, silently tucking him back in. Next he made his way to Raphael’s room.

He peeked in the door, calling out to his brother to see if he was still up. “Raph?”

Raphael had been working out when his brother popped in, he craned his head back to look at him. “What’s up Mike?”

“Do you have a minute?”

Raphael placed the weight down with a thunk and grabbed one of the towels to wipe the sweat from his face. “For you, little man? Always.”

Mikey bounded in, his hands suspiciously placed behind his back as he rolled on his heels. “I know what you’ve been doing.” Mikey started, “And at first I was kinda mad cause I thought maybe you didn’t believe in me...but now I see that you really were just looking out for me because you love me, not because you thought less of me.” He amended.

Raphael blinked, clearly lost at his brother’s train of thought, but allowed Mikey to finish. “I just wanted to give you a thank you present and say that I promise I won’t tell Don.” Mikey presented the paper to his brother, who still looked quite dumbfounded. 

Slowly, he took it, a long drawn out “Uh,” accompanying it. “Mikey I’m gonna be real with you, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Mikey smiled, “My earnings the last few weeks.” He said plainly, “Leo told me not to let you know I found out that you’ve been secretly helping me, but I really wanted to show you how much I appreciate what you did.”

Now Raphael was even more confused, “Right,” he said, looking down at the paper. “Leo told you?” Mikey had drawn Raphael at least twice the size, a hoard of cute animals huddled in his lap. Hearts covered the entire page, as well as a large header reading “thank you.”

“Don’t be mad at him, he said you might be sad I found out but I really wanted to show you how much I love you for it.”

“It’s okay Mikey, I’m glad you told me.” Raphael smiled, holding up the picture. “This is beautiful buddy, I love it.”

Mikey beamed, bounding out of the room with a happiness Raphael bittersweetly realized he hadn’t seen in a while. Once Mikey disappeared though, all Raphael could think about was how something didn’t add up, and that something had to do with Leo. All Raphael knew was that he couldn’t ask Leo outright. No, the slider was too secretive for that. But perhaps their other sibling knew. Raphael placed Mikey’s picture on his desk, tossing the towel into the wastebasket as he made his way next door.

“Donnie?” Raphael called, noting the emptiness of the lab.

“Someone better be dying.” Raphael followed the source of the muffled voice, seeing his brother’s feet sticking out from under a large cylindrical machine. 

“Not yet.” Raphael replied cryptically. He could hear Donatello tinkering with the machine’s belly. He grabbed his sibling’s foot, dragging him out from underneath.

Donatello yelped, almost dropping the torch on his face. “No, what are you doing? I have to finish this!”

“Just give me a minute Don,” Raphael eyed his brother, “I need to talk about Leo.”

Donatello’s expression quickly blanked. “You mean besides the fact that he’s been cheating?”

Raphael flinched in surprise. “So he is!”

Donatello stood, correcting himself. “Theoretically yes. I’ve had a few hypotheses about how Leo managed to gain that much cash so often. I calculated all of the income from the jobs in the Hidden City database with the amount of hours Leo’s worked.” Donatello moved over to grab a different device as he tapped on his wrist.

“And?” Raphael impatiently pushed as he crossed his arms.

“And,” Don turned back, “something’s definitely up. I wasn’t lying when I said it was impossible for him to beat me. His job doesn’t exist. There’s nothing listed. So, the only theories I can wrap my head around is that whatever Leo’s been doing, it’s off the books.”

Raphael placed his hand on his chin, thinking, “So what you’re saying, is that whatever Leo’s been up to, it could be illegal?”

“Bingo.” Donatello, unperturbed, replied as he sat back down on the trolly. He rolled himself back under, placing his goggles down as his brother continued to stand and think.

“Wait.” Raphael realized, turning back to his preoccupied brother. He pulled the trolly back out, revealing a slightly irritated Donatello. “If you knew something was up, why didn’t you say anything?”

Donatello thought for a moment, suddenly nervous. “Because, honestly, I’m not sure I want to know. If my calculations are correct, which they always are, Leo’s earnings could shave off as much as three months of our schedule.” Donatello paused, “I know it’s probably wrong, but when I see the tumor on Dad growing, I just...I’d do just about anything.”

Raphael wouldn’t lie, Splinter acted like everything was fine, more than likely for their own sake, but they all could tell how bad it was getting. His energy levels were decreasing, it was harder for him to catch his breath, and he wasn’t eating as much as he used to. It worried them all sick. Raphael placed his hand on his brother’s knee, hoping to convey just how much he understood. “Me too Donnie, me too.”

Raphael left Donatello to finish his project, turning out of the lab with a heavier heart than when he entered. If what Don said was true, should he pretend like he didn’t know? Should he turn a blind eye like Don had so that Splinter could get treated sooner? But if what Leo was doing really was illegal, could he really live with himself if something were to happen, knowing he sat by and did nothing?

He growled at himself, frustratedly at an impasse. “Mind Raph, what am I supposed to do?” In his mind his smaller version popped up, patting his head reassuringly. 

“Buddy, don’t worry yourself sick over ‘what ifs’. You’ll only drive yourself nuts. What’s important is to focus on what’s in your power to change.”

Raphael thought for a moment, “In my power, huh? I think the issue is that I have the power to stop Leo, or save Pops, but not both. I don’t know what I should do!”

“Relax. You’re still thinking about those unreal situations. What do you have the power to do, right now?”

“Hmm,” Raphael thought, his face wrinkling as he deeply thought. He scrubbed his head violently as he growled. The thought bubble dissipating in his frustration. “I need more facts before I can decide!” The only problem was that the only person who had those facts was Leo himself. 

Raphael made his way over to his sibling’s room. The curtain was shut, and from what he could remember, Leo was trying to sleep early for a late night job. Raphael drew the curtain back with a single finger, just enough to glance at the bed. Instead of a sleeping brother as Raphael had anticipated, he was met with the blinding blue light of Leo’s portal. He caught the backside of Leo’s shell as he stepped into it, watching as the portal began to shrink.

Images of his sibling being kidnapped, forced to steal, endure untold horrors, or thrown in jail filled his overactive imagination. Anxiety filled his entire being, and in that moment he realized if he didn’t find out how Leo was making money, he would no doubt lose every minute of sleep. He had no idea how Donatello was able to do it, to simply turn a blind eye without even knowing what it was he was turning away from.

In a rash decision, Raphael hurled himself at the portal, diving through as it closed. Suddenly he connected with the ground, rolling as he arrived, only to collide with a solid surface. He spit the dirt from his mouth, righting his upside down position at the wall. His head was still spinning, a loud and overbearing ringing deafening his ears.

He looked up to see a long open room. It had dirt floors and a curved ceiling. Finally his vision and eardrums leveled out, and he could make out loud cheers all around him. On either side of him were arched walkways. One of which had a large sturdy wooden door, the other however, was flooded with a blinding white light. The area smelled of sweat and metal. Raphael could swear he heard music. 

“Where in the world…?” He looked about to see benches spread out in the open area. By the wall he had collided into sat a large water basin and a row of impressive weaponry. Raphael stood, making his way over to the alluring light and sounds. When he walked through, the light overwhelmed him. It pierced his eyes as they contracted painfully at the sudden change. As he blinked in the bright light, he heard an announcement boom overhead.

He knew that voice. 

It was a voice that had his entire system freezing.

Raphael, wide eyed, looked up, finally making out the giant circular arena before him. Crowds of people overflowed from the stands surrounding the arena. The onlookers cheered ecstatically as a giant yokai beast was released into the grounds. Raphael’s heart dropped. He felt icicles prickling his skin as his nerves kicked into high gear. 

“Please, no.” Raphael whispered desperately. “Please just be here to watch.”

He eyed the screen as Big Mama bombastically hyped up the crowd, announcing the next fighter. He knew the words that she shared, but his brain couldn’t process them. His body somehow still understood her, as his legs suddenly felt like jello. Raphael grasped the edge of the archway for stabilization as the cheering increased, ringing into one giant cacophony as the opposing fighter joined the arena. 

Raphael watched the tiny form move in front of the creature, cracking their neck as they blew air kisses to the onlookers. Finally, Raphael’s brain caught up with his body, and he realized. 

_ That’s Leo _ .

_ Leo’s fighting for Big Mama _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like time is moving too fast but the key stuff is only once a week... Also I'm so tired of looking at this chapter so blease just have it already so we can move on.


	4. Breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A storm brews in the distance.

“I must say you are quite the little showman.” Big Mama tapped her claws together, leaning forward against her desk. 

Leo chuckled, leaning back to wipe the stray dirt from his shoulder. “Gotta be honest Big M, although I’m doing it for the money, the love sure has its perks.”

Big Mama hummed in agreement, the deep vocals reverberating in her chest. She waved a hand at one of her clerks, the fox immediately turning to grab a satchel. He threw it at the turtle’s feet, the heavy leather sliding to the couch with a thump. Leonardo picked it up, unable to contain his wide eyed wonder at the glowing gold inside.

Big Mama stood, striding forward as she purred. “If you keep up attendance ratings like these turtliepoo, there will be plenty more wizbobs where these came from.” Leo looked up to see her hovering over him, her shadow causing the glimmer of the gold to die down. “I look forward to your semi-finals match next week.”

Leo closed the satchel, hefting it over his shoulder in one swift motion. He placed his hand on his hip, waving her off. “I’ve been saving a few moves just for it. Too bad the fighters probably won’t last long enough for me to use them.” He sneered confidently.

Big Mama hummed, “Yes, well, only time will tell.” Before Leo could inquire, she turned back around. The fox yokai pressed the elevator button, the loud ding of the bell signaling the end of the conversation. Leo stepped onto it, looking back to see Big Mama reclaiming her seat behind the desk. Overhead were a collage of video feeds from tonight's fight.

As the elevator doors closed, Leo caught the image of a rather large yokai with glowing red eyes. He was covered in dark grey armor and wore a hood. He moved with speeds that rivaled Leo’s own, and Leo couldn’t help but feel some respect for the fighter.  _ Yeesh, sure hope I won’t be seeing him in the ring. _

As the elevator descended, Leo caught the falling satchel, his arm jerking at the sudden movement. He hissed, the bag falling to the floor with a loud thump. He cradled his arm, easing the sore pain with a soft massage.  _ Shoot, I must have sprained it in the fight.  _ Luckily it was his left forearm and not his dominant hand. He stooped down to pick up the bag as the elevator reached the lobby. 

Leonardo stepped out, moving off to the side to create his portal home. He grabbed the Odachi from his back, taking stance as he wielded it with both hands. He nearly dropped the heavy sword as his arm retracted, a sudden sharp pain shooting through it. Leo growled, cradling the arm to his plasteron.

Determined, he raised the sword with his good hand, swiping at the air in a clean arc. The portal opened and Leo stepped inside. The sudden change of lighting was hard on his eyes, and he nearly tripped over a pile of laundry at his feet. He sighed, hefting the large bag to the floor as the portal disappeared. 

“Home sweet home.” Leo whispered to himself. Suddenly light flooded his room, causing Leo to wheel back and yelp. In a moment of surprise, Leo brought his sword back out in defense. The swift motion was not appreciated by Leo’s injured arm, causing him to grunt and nearly drop the sword.

“You’re home late.” Raphael said cooly. He sat relaxed on the swivel chair in Leo’s room. His leg was propped up on the other, his fingers resting on the tips of the other in mirrored fashion.

Leo sank down as the adrenaline filtered through his exhausted heart. “Geez, Raph! Give a guy a heart attack why don’t you.” Leo placed the sword by his bedside, suddenly feeling quite tired.

Raphael remained where he was, unswayed by Leo’s appearance. “Where were you?”

Leonardo sighed. “Raph, I told you last night that I had a job. And honestly bro, I’m not in the mood for an interrogation right now.” Leo scooted the bag out of the way with his foot, trying not to curl his arm around his side protectively as he spoke. “What are you doing up so early?”

“Leo, enough already.” Raphael began, leaning forward. “I know.” Raphael stood, towering over his brother. His expression was unreadable, yet serious, and Leo knew he was in trouble.

“Psh,” Leo said, his eyes darting to the sides. “Know what? That I’m smoking you in the competition?” Leo patted Raph’s shoulder. “Don’t be jealous big guy, I know you’ll catch up.”

Raphael grabbed Leo’s arm. He let out a surprised yelp as his brother’s tight grip kept it in place. Slowly Raph brought it down in front of him, turning it over to inspect it. 

“What are you doing?” Leo asked, sweat building up on his forehead. He grit his teeth, resisting to show pain from his injuries. But when Raphael pressed his thumb into the underside of his forearm, Leo couldn’t help but cry out. He crumpled, one leg hitting the ground as his other hand flew up to pry Raphael’s meaty paw from his injury.

Raphael knelt by his brother, his grip instantly becoming kind. “I know you’re fighting in the Battle Nexus Leo. I saw your match.” 

Leo felt the sting of tears in one of his eyes as he looked up at his brother. He felt panic stricken him. Raphael saw him fight?  _ He knows. He’s going to tell Splinter. _ Leo breathed deep, his heart hammering in his chest. “Raph, you don’t understand-”

“I don’t understand?!” Raphael’s tone instantly shut the slider up. It was powerful and booming in his ears, a mix of emotions that Leo couldn’t recall having witnessed in his brother. “You’re not the only one dealing with the weight of the world Leo!” 

Leo was speechless. His mouth remained open, gaping as his mind blanked. He winced as his brother found the swollen section of his arm. Raphael sighed, bringing out a splint he had prepared earlier. Raphael softly gripped his sibling’s arm in both hands, thumbs trailing along the muscles to inspect it. He wrapped Leo’s arm, refusing to make eye contact. His voice suddenly sounded quite small. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Leo stared at the tape as his brother continued to wrap it around him, taking a moment to think. Eventually, Leo looked up to meet Raphael’s eyes. They were still unreadable, but the underlying hurt he saw made Leonardo feel strangely vulnerable. “I was afraid you’d rat me out. No one supported my idea before, why would now be any different? Especially without Dad’s approval.”

Raphael sighed, closing his eyes. “Leo, we all have our own reasons. I can only speak for myself about it but I know that it’s not you we had issues with. It was going against Pop’s wishes. We just want to respect his choices. I know that puts us in a hard place but-” 

“Raph,” Leo began, his voice determined. “I’m not going to stop.” He leaned forward, trying to force his brother to see things from his point of view. “This isn’t just about Dad anymore. It’s about all of us.” Leonardo guestered to the opening of his room with his good hand. “I can’t just sit by obediently when one of you needs me! You saw how Mikey looked when he didn’t meet his quota- you were there.”

Leo leaned back, feeling good about finally getting these thoughts off his chest. “I can’t just sit around while we all work our shells off so we don’t have to go hungry! Not when I can actually do something about it.” He placed his hand on his chest, emphasizing how he felt. “Taking a good hit every now and then is nothing if it means we have enough food on the table, and enough money to get Dad help.”

Raphael continued making his way down Leo’s arm, focusing his gaze on the slightly swollen muscles. “You putting yourself in danger like this changes things. Even if I didn’t agree with you, I would’ve rather known so that I could’ve helped you.” Raphael paused momentarily, his shoulders hunching. “Do you know how terrifying it was? How terrifying it was to find out like that?” 

Raphael’s calm composure faltered, his expression catching Leo off guard once more. “To see you battling that giant yokai all on your own? To watch you get hurt and not be able to do anything about it? I had no idea what would have happened if you had really gotten hurt.” Raphael paused, inhaling a breath that pierced his aching lungs. “I tried to jump in there when it got you, but the arena had a magic barrier around it.”

Leo’s eyes widened, he thought back to his match. The moment Raphael was talking about stuck out in his mind. Leo felt his heart sink. The moment that caused his brother so much grief was the same moment Leonardo had tried to show off. He remembered his overly flamboyant moves, playing up the crowd. He felt so stupid. 

Leo curled inward slightly, guilt tracing his features. He tapped his thigh, building up the courage to apologize. “Raph, I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention to put you through that, but I would have rather you not know. You have enough to worry about.” He placed a hand on his brother’s, forcing his attention. “You don’t need to worry about me, I can handle myself. I know what I’m doing”

When Raphael continued to remain silent, Leo huffed. “Raph, come on man! Say something, I’m trying to put myself out here.”

“Leo, stop.” Raphael ordered. “I’m trying to think.” Raphael ripped off the remaining tape, dropping his brother’s now snuggly wrapped arm. He scrubbed his head, huffing as he fought against himself internally. “I guess the question is, what do we do now?”

There were a few moments of heavy silence as the two turtles introspected. Finally, Leo managed to whisper, breaking the trance. “Are you going to tell Dad?”

Raphael breathed deep, countering without hesitation. “Are you going to tell me when you have a match?”

Leo straightened in surprise. “Bro, I’ll give you a front row seat if that’s what it takes!”

“Fine. But once we have enough money, that’s it. You’re done. Get the money, get Pops his treatment, and we never speak of this again. No one will be the wiser.” Raphael swept his hands out forcefully, drawing a line. “Pops would pop his lid if he ever found out what we did!”

Leo couldn’t help but smile wide, crossing his heart as he replied. “Scouts honor bro!” He sat forward, extending his arms out to hug Raphael.

“And-” Raphael added, quickly raising a palm to Leo’s face. “We’ll take turns. I don’t want you fighting while injured.” Leo’s muffled response came from behind Raphael’s hand. Raphael removed it, cocking a brow at him. “What?”

Leo sat back, a resigned look on his face. “I said no can do, bro.”

Raphael clenched his fists, leaning forward irritatedly. “Leo, don’t be stupid-”

Leonardo waved his wands in front of him, shaking his head. “No, I mean it’s impossible. The tournament matches have already been set. No new fighters are allowed to enter and if you miss a match you’re forfeited.”

Raphael huffed, rubbing his chin. “You gotta be more careful then. If you get yourself any more hurt, I’m pulling the plug on this. And make sure you heat and ice that arm of yours.”

Leonardo chuckled, rubbing his tired eyes as he replied. “Okay, Mom.”

Raphael ignored him, already thinking about their next plan of action. “When’s your next match?”

Leo yawned, stretching out against the back of the bed as he replied. “No worries Raphie, it’s not til next week. Plenty of time to rest up.”

“Alright, but you still-”

“Good morning!” The boy’s gazes swiveled over to the open curtain, noting the joyful expression of their younger brother. Mikey practically dazzled in the light, his smile genuine, his presence catching the two off guard. “How was your sleepover?”

“Nothing!” Raphael shrieked, throwing the pillow at his unsuspecting brother. “Talking about Donnie’s sock collection!”

Mikey and Leo stared at Raphael, Donatello’s own muffled voice replying far off from the kitchen. “My what?”

Leonardo stood, sighing as he resigned to being sleep deprived for the rest of the day. He placed an arm around Mikey as he wheeled them into the kitchen. “What’s for breakfast hermano?”

“Got a whole spread today!” Mikey beamed, gesturing to the display of fresh choices. Leo’s stomach couldn’t help but growl in response as Mikey gave him the tour de dejeuner. “We got a whole pound of scrambled boys, a nice slab of hot and ready bacon, and even tiny pancakes!” Mikey scrunched down to lovingly look at the syrup dispenser, picking it up gently between two fingers. “I even got a teeny pitcher for the syrup!”

Leo smiled, shoving a large portion of the food onto a plate. “Smells delicious Mike.” 

Raphael appeared as Leonardo sat at the table, noting a zombified Donatello staring into the void of the wall as he sipped his coffee. “Morning Don.” Donatello grunted in response, his eyes never leaving their unfocused target. 

“Here, let me.” Mikey offered as Raphael grabbed a portion for Splinter. Raphael let Mikey prepare their father’s breakfast, picking up a large heaping of food that rivaled the size of his head. He plopped down across from Don, eyeing Leo as his brother began scarfing down the food. Raphael cleared his throat once Mikey left, garnering Leo’s attention.

“You know Leo, it’s not just me you can rely on.” Raphael nudged. 

Leo looked up to him, pausing mid bite. Scrambled eggs coated his mouth, his voice muffled by the sheer amount of food shoved inside. Raphael pointedly indicated with his head to Donatello from across the table. His eyelids had fallen, and he was a few seconds away from colliding his face with his forgotten plate of toast. 

Leo glowered at Raphael. “Well if it was up to me, I wouldn’t need to rely on anyone.” One person knowing already provided enough risk, but two? That doubled the chances of Splinter finding out, not to mention it wouldn’t be fair to Mikey, being the only one out of the loop. Leo loved his brother, but Mike was horrible at keeping secrets. Especially if he had to keep it from Splinter.

Raphael grit his teeth, trying to keep his voice from becoming raised. “Being vulnerable and asking for help doesn’t make you weak. It makes you strong to admit how you feel. In our most difficult times is when we need people who love us most.”

Leo shoved the plate of food away from him, propping his elbows on the table to aggressively whisper to Raphael. “Yeah? Well keeping promises is a more important aspect for some ‘loved ones’.”

“Not when keeping them could get somebody hurt!” 

Leo pointed a finger accusingly at his brother. “What happened to ‘respecting people’s wishes’?” Leo placed a hand on his chin, mockingly thinking for a moment, “Hmm, why does that sound so familiar?” Leo suddenly leaned forward, his finger jabbing his brother as he emphasized. “Oh yeah, because you said it earlier!” 

Raphael growled in response. The two turtles stared intensely at each other, lighting practically sizzling between the gaze. Finally Raphael turned to Donatello, who was still struggling to stay awake. “Don.” Raphael bellowed, causing the poor turtle to jump from his seat in bewilderment. 

“Huh? What?” Donatello stared at them, completely oblivious to their current predicament.

From under the table Leo kicked Raphael, who scowled at him for being so childish. Leo’s face darkened in response. He took his thumb and slowly ran it across his neck in a threatening manner. 

“Leo, what happened to your arm?”

The two froze, looking over to see Michelangelo having returned to the kitchen. Leo quickly moved his bandaged arm out of sight, sliding the arm guard higher over the splint. Both Leonardo and Raphael’s mouths gaped in a unified stutter, before Raphael slammed his elbow on the table, drawing everyone’s attention back to him. 

“I beat Leo in an arm wrestling contest!” Raphael screamed, failing to keep his composure. He laughed awkwardly, adding. “Guess I don’t know my own strength!” He eyed his brother’s scrutinizing looks, ignoring the sound of Leo face palming beside him as he began to sweat.

“Okay,” Donatello drawled, clearly not following.

In a flash Mikey flung his hand onto the table, challenging the snapping turtle. “Me next!” His arm looked like a twig next to Raphael’s biceps, but that didn’t deter the box turtle. Raphael grasped Mikey’s hand, letting out a breath of relief as his brother seemingly bought the excuse.

“Very well,” Donatello stood, pulling out a gun from his shell and aimed it at the ceiling. “On your marks!”

Leo wheeled back, falling off the chair and onto the ground with a cry. “Don, where did you get that thing?”

Donatello ignored the slider, screaming to start as he fired the gun. The gun seemed to explode from his grip, the missile landing unceremoniously into the concrete above with a ‘plunk’. The four stared at the capsule embedded in rock as small bits of stone rained down, waiting for it to explode. 

After an anticlimactic moment, Leo stood, patting the nonexistent dirt from his body and fixed himself back in the chair. “Donald,” Leo started calmly, “was that supposed to be a flare gun?”

Donatello hung his shoulders. “Sigh, emphasis on ‘supposed’ to.” Donatello looked the gun over, inspecting it. “I’ve been waiting months for an excuse to use this bad boy. What a perfectly wasted moment.” 

“Donnie, we talked about this.” Raphael began tentatively, trying not to let his lack of patience show in his tone. “The kitchen is sacred ground. No pranks, no experiments, and no fighting.” 

The three suddenly acknowledged the intense grunting noise coming from beside them. Looking back towards their brother, they noticed a red faced Michelangelo wrestling against the snapper’s tank of an arm. Mikey began sweating as he continued to give his all, but Raphael’s arm hadn’t budged.

“Uh,” Raphael started, letting his hand sink. It slammed against the table, nearly cracking the wood with a snap. The force surprised the turtle, nearly sending him toppling off his chair.

“Boom, baby!” Mikey whooped, standing as he began to dance. “Ya boy gotcha good!”

Raphael placed his head on the table dramatically, crying out in feigned surprise at his little brother’s victory. Suddenly the forgotten capsule overhead exploded, causing dust and debris to shower the four boys. Startled, the four yelped, coughing violently in the overwhelming dust cloud. From inside the mass of dust, Raphael bellowed in irritation. 

“Donnie!” Raph heard the scrambled scampering of his brother nearby as he squawked and tried to flee. The dust cleared enough for Raphael to note two of his brother’s dusty forms. His eyes teared up as they tried to clear the irritating debris from his vision. Raphael shouted, knowing his brother had no doubt already fled to his safety of the lab. “You better sleep with one eye open tonight Don! Nobody messes with Raph’s breakfast!”

Unbeknownst to Donatello, he had started a dangerous game. Out-pranking each other was a given occurrence, so when Donatello came down for breakfast the next morning, his mask sporting a unibrow, nobody questioned it.


	5. Semi-Finals

“Alright, just remember, play it safe.” Raphael placed his hands on his sibling’s shoulder’s. Despite butting heads, Leo felt reassured having his big brother here to support him. Leonardo took a deep breath, stilling his heart as the cheering began. The ground rumbled as the crowd stomped their feet in anticipation. Even under the arena, the volume was impressive. He felt Raphael adjust his straps, fussing last minute.

Leo nodded, his attention being drawn back before shrugging him off. “You worry too much Raphie my man. I gotta play up the crowd a little. The more people bet on me, the bigger cut I make!” Leonardo posed, showing off his outfit from the first time he battled in the Nexus.

“Leo, I’m serious.” Raphael rounded him. “I don’t want you taking any unnecessary risks out there. How am I supposed to explain to Pops if we bring you back on a stretcher?”

Leonardo turned, his face serious. “Raph, I said I got this! Why do you never trust me to handle things?” 

“I do trust you!” Raphael countered, holding his arms out for emphasis. “It’s all of them,” Raphael gestured to the arena, Big Mama’s face appearing on the screen, “I don’t trust!”

The two turned as Big Mama began the announcement for the semi-finals match, their conversation paused. Her face replaced every screen in sight, her voice drowning out any other noise. “Hello my yokai friends! Tonight marks a very special match, our semi-finals! You’re all in for a treat as our scrumptious contestants fight in the Battle Nexus’ first ever double-up tournament!” 

The woman twirled out in a dazzling display of light, a sportscaster replacing her spot. He adjusted his headset to lean in close to the camera, his voice trilling as he began to hype up the crowd. A ten second timer began on the large display, the audience immediately calling out the numbers in unison, increasing the anticipation. 

“Leo,” Raphael began, knowing they didn’t have much time left. Suddenly the platform above them began to lower, the light from the stadium blinding the two. Leo began to head towards it, only for his brother to snatch his hand. “Wait-”

Leonardo retracted his hand, his emotions turning sour. “I know. Be careful. Don’t mess up. Get the money, get out.”

“What? No. I mean, yes, but...” Raphael shook his head, following after his sibling. “Just listen! What you’re doing, it’s really stupid. Stupid, but brave. I never would’ve had the guts to go against Pops like this. I just wanted to say that no matter what happens-”

A horn blew overhead, several large eyeball yokai with bat wings flying out to take position on the field. Leo ducked out and onto the platform, following the queue for all fighters to enter the ring. As the platform began raising him up, he heard his brother call up to him. 

“Leo! I love you bro! Good luck out there, I’ll be watching from the stands!”

Leo looked down at his brother. He smiled, wielding his Odachi over his shoulder. “I don’t need luck bro, but I appreciate it!”

Once Leo was out of sight, Raphael darted for the stands, not wanting to miss anything. Leonardo had assured him that it wasn’t a death match, but he still worried how close to death Big Mama would allow before pulling contestants out. He shoved his way forward, reaching the edge of the arena to see a large metallic cylinder in the center of the arena. Metal dividers criss-crossed in the center, not unlike a freshly cut pizza. 

Raphael could make out a few of the contestants from his view. There was a single person per metal wedge. Raphael tried to figure out the orientation of the area, pinpointing where his brother had ended up. He must have been on the other side because he was nowhere in sight. Fans shoved against him as a second horn blew, their screams deafening his hearing. 

He watched as half of the metal dividers descended, revealing the challengers for the first match. Immediately the pairs began fighting, making it even harder to make out the form of his brother. He growled in frustration, giving up on the arena itself for the screens overhead.

Raph hypothesized that there should be one eyeball projector per match, so at least one of the screens had to have Leo on it. He searched them, but the close up camera work and swift movements from the fighters did not make the task any easier. Raphael tried to ask one of the yokai next to him if they had seen Leo fighting, but none of them would cease their incessant cheering long enough to give a proper answer. 

Finally, Raphael caught the blue streak of light from one of his brother’s portals. He was squaring off against his first opponent. The yokai was smaller than Leo, but fairly lanky and lean. Their form was slightly hunched, a smooth curve in their spine. They were covered in dark robes that wrapped around their torso with a sash. A large cowl hid their features, but protruding from the robe were a long set of claws, as well as a surprisingly bushy tail. 

They wielded a spear. The tip of it glowed blue, fizzling mystic energy emanating off of it. The yokai twirled the weapon in hand, trying to intimidate their opponent. Leo slid into his portal, disappearing from sight. Slowly, the yokai pivoted around, stance light as they waited for the turtle to reappear.

A rock fell from overhead, small and inconsequential. Still, the yokai peered up, taking a defensive stance for an incoming aerial attack. When they noted that the sky above them was empty though, they felt their feet begin to sink. Looking down revealed a large portal of Leonardo’s making, causing the yokai to jump out of the way before being sucked down into it. 

Unbeknownst to the crowd of onlookers, the yokai was hurling itself right into the location Leo would be waiting. While the yokai was airborne, bracing for their impact with the solid ground, Leo stepped out of another portal. He raised his Odachi to slice at his seemingly unsuspecting enemy, only for them to twist away in response. 

The yokai raised their spear, connecting the body against the mystic steel. For a moment they fought back and forth, testing the other’s strength. The yokai kicked at Leo’s knee, hoping to fell him. Leo ducked out of the way, instead rolling with the momentum. The spear came down on him, the swift blade easily outpacing the weight of his Odachi. 

Leo rolled back, the mystic aura from the spear catching his foot. The slider felt himself pulled back as he attempted to lunge. He looked back, fearing he had been caught, only to see his foot encased in ice. The yokai lifted their spear up, twirling it as they built momentum. Leo panicked, trying to pull his foot free from the icy prison on the ground. 

The spear slammed down, connecting with the dirt where Leo had laid earlier. In a flash, icicles grew with tremendous speed, bursting from the impact of the spear. Angry, frosty spikes grew from the ground, threatening to impale Leo and finish the job. Leo spun, pivoting on his stuck leg to wheel his heel up and into the yokai’s chest, catching them off guard. The movement broke Leonardo free from the ice, a sick crunch echoing as bits of ice flew about. 

In one swift strike, Leo twirled around, slicing the icicles off, the portal eating them up. The yokai recovered, watching Leo from a distance. They twirled their spear in one hand, rubbing their hurt chest. Leonardo bounced on his good foot, the intense cold having numbed the other. He stared at the yokai, all playfulness from earlier missing from his expression. 

“It’s been fun fighting, but I think it’s time for you to run along home.” Leo twisted his blade, a blue glow forming at the tip. He traced the air, slowly, taunting his opponent. The yokai dug their heels into the dirt, refusing to take the bait. In an instant Leonardo disappeared. The yokai’s gaze swept the arena, having lost track of the turtle.

Several portals opened up around the arena, causing the whole set to glow in blinding blue aura. The yokai gripped their spear tighter, backing themselves against the wall in shelter. Their eyes darted from each glowing disk, the anticipation gnawing at them.

“I bet you thought turtles were slow.”

The yokai’s eyes widened as the voice appeared from behind them. They had thought having their back to the wall made them safe, but Leo’s portal emanated from the wall itself, giving access to the fighter’s blind spot. The yokai twisted around, lunging back on instinct to face their opponent. 

However, the wall was nothing but metal when they turned, realizing too late that Leo had bluffed them. From the remaining portals rained down the same icicles that the yokai had created. The ice shards rained down upon the fighter, pelting them relentlessly as they attempted to block each projectile. 

The yokai slumped to the floor, their body stinging and exhausted from the effort. In an instant the yokai knew they were done for, having felt the sharp metal at their neck. Leo stood behind them, his Odachi’s sharp blade scraping at their fur. After a slight hesitation, the yokai dropped the spear, signaling their defeat. The yokai was instantly swept up in a whirlwind of magic, disappearing from the match.

Raphael felt an overwhelming sense of pride, standing with a shout. He grabbed the yokai closest to him, his head colliding together with the stranger. “Did you see that?!” Raphael pointed to the screen. “That’s my brother!” He shook the poor yokai, releasing him to whoop with the crowd. 

The crowd cheered as Leo posed for the onlookers. He waved to the camera, striking a few poses as he ate up the fanfare. The end of the first round took a bit longer than Leonardo had thought, and he decided to look for his brother while he waited. Unfortunately it only took a minute to realize how impossible it was. The entire stadium was filled with people, too many colors, shapes, and banners in every stand to make out the individuals. It was like if “Where’s Waldo” had an expert mode. 

Leonardo looked up to the screens overhead, a mixture of footage from the remaining fights on display. Leo whistled, noting which competitors had managed to survive this long. “Hey, Old Spindly made it!” Leo announced to himself, spotting a centipede yokai he had met during a previous match. Leo squinted his eyes, searching for anyone else he recognized. “Huh, I guess Sashimi didn’t last as long as he thought. Poor guy.” Before Leonardo could search any longer, the announcer’s face cut through the feed. 

“And that signals the end of the first round!” The sportscaster appeared on screen, giving an update on the fight. “Half of our contestants have been defeated, let’s see how long they last in-” the announcer trilled the word, reeling back to throw his hand out at the screen, “round two!”

The metal dividers withdrew once more, the final four contestants revealed to their opponents. Without delay, the buzzer overhead blew, signaling the start of the next fight. Raphael’s eyes focused in on his brother, uninterested in any of the other fights. He inhaled deeply, centering himself. “Alright Raph, focus. You’re here to look out for your brother, not to have fun.” He peeked back up to see Leo catch a stray fist with ease, startling his opponent. 

The camera somehow managed to make his brother seem pretty badass, a word that Raphael wouldn’t exactly have chosen to describe Leo with. Raphael grabbed the face of the yokai to his right, forcing his face in the direction of his brother. “Holy cow did you see that?! That was a Lou Jitsu move!” 

From inside the arena, Leo danced about his opponent, taking great pleasure in the fight. His opponent circled him, waiting for Leo to make a move. An eyeball cam hovered nearby, and Leo turned to it, blowing a kiss to the crowd as he fell back into a portal. The opponent whipped around, keeping on their toes as they waited for him to reappear. 

He watched as his brother danced around his opponent, who grew increasingly aggressive the longer Leo dodged him. This opponent was larger than Raphael, six arms in decreasing size lined his sides. He had two heads that stacked on top of each other, mandibles jutting out of both. The fighter wielded no weapons, but each wrist sported impressive spiked bracers.

He wheeled around, attempting to grab Leo through every portal he escaped into. The yokai looked incredibly strong, but slow. As long as Leo stayed out of his reach, he could outlast him. Raphael watched as the small portals lined up around the fighter. Leo popped in and out like a gopher, riling his opponent up with teasing remarks. It was like watching a volcano stir to life. 

Eventually Leonardo’s sharp tongue backfired. Raphael watched as a rather long one-liner ended up causing one of the bracers to connect with his brother’s arm. Leonardo wheeled back, grasping his forearm as the cuts began to bleed. The yokai huffed with content, eyeing the bloody spikes on his arm with a wicked grin. Leo winced, jumping back into another portal as the yokai attempted to finish the job.

Leonardo tried to ignore the pain in his limbs as he backpedaled into each portal, starting up the game of whack-a-mole once more. His antics grew more childish as it went on, resorting to name calling and making faces at his opponent. The fact that Leo wasn’t taking the fight more seriously only fueled the rage inside the yokai. 

An ear splitting cry escaped the yokai’s twin throats, bellowing a shockwave of power as he once again missed Leonardo. He stared down at the turtle, who stepped out in front of him a ways down. The yokai was blind with rage, setting his sights on ripping the head off the boy's body. If only Leo could see the gory thoughts waging inside his opponent. 

Leo smiled at the six-armed figure. Placing his thumbs at the sides of his head, Leo waved at him, spitting provoking raspberries at the enraged yokai. The fighter bellowed, each muscle spasming and pulsating as they grew in size. He thrust forward with enough force to kick up the dust behind him, surprising the crowd of onlookers. 

Raphael leaned forward, his heart dropping through the stands. Leo wouldn’t be able to dodge in time. The yokai’s fists twirled around each other like a torpedo, poised to burst through his opponent’s chest. Leo jumped back into a portal as the creature neared, slightly alarmed at the impressive change in demeanor. 

The yokai’s fist burst forward with impressive speed, following Leo’s face into the blue disk, unwilling to let him escape. Another shockwave of energy rippled throughout the sectioned off arena, causing the match to become encased in a wall of dust. Raphael blinked, searching the breaks in the dust cloud for either fighter. 

Raphael felt like his chest was going to burst.  _ Please for the love of God, let him be okay _ . He twisted his bandana tails in his hands, holding his breath as he waited for the mass enveloped in the dust to become clearer. Eventually, it dissipated enough for the turtle to recognize the same hulking yokai from before, passed out on the ground.

“What...just happened?” Raphael asked himself. Overhead the screens changed, the announcer ecstatically declaring the defeat of another participant. 

“What a blow! I don’t think anyone could see that one coming!” The announcer grasped his head, the enthusiasm apparent in his voice. “Let’s have a look at that replay.” Raphael watched the video play, noting the different angles from the eye bats. He watched slowly as Leo ducked back into the portal, the yokai’s fist following him closely after.

In an instant another portal appeared above the previous one. Leo plummeted out of it, the fist grazing the side of his plastron. The momentum pushed him forward and he twisted in time to vault off of his opponent’s head. The yokai’s head dipped, just in time for his own massive fist to appear through the portal, colliding with his face. By the time Leonardo had disappeared overhead, the yokai was out cold.

The announcer continued his praise of the fight, giving detailed information about the next match in the finals. Leo’s portrait lit on the screen, his smug smile next to a vicious looking bug. Raphael looked back down into the arena, only to see it empty. The dividers were receding, the platforms descending back down into the underground. The crowds all murmured loudly, still ecstatic with post-fight adrenaline. Raphael darted out of the stands, refusing to be caught in the sea of the audience as he tried to make it back to the barracks. 

“‘Scuse me, pardon me!” Raphael called politely as he shuffled his way through the people. He darted to the stairs, tripping over a popcorn bucket forgotten in the chaos. He cried out, wheeling as he tumbled down the metal steps. He landed with a thud, shaking his head as he pushed off towards the back area. 

He weaved in and out of the participants, noting the increase in Big Mama’s guards as a few of the unlucky fighters were wheeled to an infirmary. Raphael called out for his brother, unable to see him in the mass. A few guards drew his attention as a fighter confronted another, spitting insults at him, claiming he had cheated. The guards zapped them into submission, telling them to save it for the arena.

Raphael ignored them, finally finding his brother at the edge of the crowd. He looked winded, sweat glistening on his head. His costume was torn where the bracer had sliced his arm, the cloth soaked in blood. Raphael called out to him, causing his brother to look up with tired eyes, a small smile on his lips.

“Leo!” Raphael stared at him with wide eyes, his arms out at his sides. “That was incredible!”

Leo chuckled, closing his eyes as he stood. He rested his good arm on the hilt of his Odachi, gingerly placing weight on his still twisted ankle. “Pretty cool, right?” 

“That was more than cool, that was insane!” Raphael began posing, reenacting the highlights of Leo’s matches. “You were all ‘whoosh’, and then- ‘WHAM’!” Raphael laughed as he clutched his head, “I couldn’t even see you!”

Leonardo rubbed his head, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed. “C’mon big guy,” Leo began as he took a step forward, “let’s get home. All this talk about how awesome I am has me hungry.” Raphael obliged, happy to finally be leaving this place. However, as they turned towards the door, Raphael felt Leonardo lean against him. 

“Leo?” He turned, questioning his brother. His brother didn’t respond, causing Raph to turn. Leo shifted, falling forward towards the ground. Instantly Raphael was there to catch him, his hands cradling his brother’s plastron. His Odachi fell to the floor with a clatter, and Raphael realized his brother had gone limp. 

“Leo!” Raphael called out as he knelt. He turned his brother over, noting the flinch in his movements. Leo’s eyes fluttered open. “Leo, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Leonardo groaned, clenching his eyes shut as he tried to sit up. Raphael offered his brother a supportive hand on his back. Leo curled forward, hissing as his hurt arm clutched close to his stomach. Without another word, Raphael ripped the costume open, revealing his siblings body. He stripped the cloth from Leo’s arm, careful not to rip open his cuts as they stuck to the blood on the cloth.

Leo’s face began to pale as Raphael looked him over.  _ Something isn’t right _ , Raphael thought,  _ his arm hasn’t bled enough to cause him to faint _ . He noted the swollen ankle, and moved Leo’s arm away from his stomach to check for any breaks. What it revealed however, made Raphael’s gut spin. Along his side was a web of cracks, the platelets of his shell having taken the brunt of the yokai’s blow. 

“Dang it, Leo!” Raphael yelled harsher than he intended. “I told you to be careful!’

Shakily, Leo sighed, “It’s not as bad as it looks. I just need a couple days to sleep it off.”

“Not that bad?!” Raph bellowed, gesturing to Leo’s battered body. “Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?”

Leo chuckled, smirking, “Yeah, handsome right?”

Raphael growled, swiping a tired hand down his face. Without another word to the slider, Raph unwound his bandages, collecting them in a heap as he began wrapping his brother. He started with his arm, grabbing a nearby bucket to wash the cuts. Leo hissed at the pressure, beginning to feel the tight sharp warmth emanating from the swelling wound. 

Next Raphael moved to his ankle, making sure it was supported enough to keep it still. Finally he moved to his brother’s torso, inspecting it for damage. Leo leaned his arm on his brother’s shoulders as he balanced on his good foot, hopping slightly. Raphael bent forward, sliding his hands down the side of Leo’s shell, noting the deep color beginning to show through the bridge. 

He growled, poking at the space as he attempted to see how serious it was. Leo hissed, instinctively pulling away from him. “Careful! It feels like I just got sucker punched by a tank!” 

“Sorry.” Raphael replied, winding the wrappings around his middle. There was no blood seeping through the crack, so there was a good chance the break was somewhat superficial. Raphael sighed,  _ at least he won’t need surgery _ . Suddenly the snapper felt an incessant tapping at his shell. He continued focusing his attention on the bandage, cursing as the finicky tongs refused to cooperate. 

“Uh, hey Raph,” Leo began as he tapped at his hunched shell again, “that’s probably good enough. We should really get going, bro.” Raphael peered up at his brother, noting the pained expression. He turned to see Big Mama making her way towards them. Raphael gulped, standing up.

“Well, well,” Big Mama began. “What a touchingly sumptuous surprise.” She looked between the two, a grin on her face. “Have you come to join the festivities little turtlee-poo?” She said, turning to Raph. 

This time Leo stepped forward, one hand still placed on his brother for stability. “No, no,” Leo quickly responded. “Just me. Besides, the tournament is closed.”

Big Mama purred, thinking. “Yes, but there’s always  _ other  _ events to find participants for.”

Leo pushed at his brother, turning them. “Sorry I can’t stick around and chat this time Big M, got a few things to handle tonight.”

Big Mama simply looked on, her eyes twinkling as she watched them go. “Yes, of course. Don’t forget to collect your winnings my blue-banded friend. And remember little one, you have one more splendiferous performance to attend.”

Leo allowed Raphael to support his weight as they moved out of the barrack. Without another word, Leonardo swung his Odachi, creating a portal home. Once they stepped through, Leo let out a sigh of relief. However, it was short lived as he felt Raphael at his torso again.

“Watch it!” Leonardo winced, sucking in a breath as Raphael tied the bandage tighter. “Man, we need to really work on your bedside manners.”

“Sorry,” Raphael apologized. “But you should have been more careful! You’re starting to get really cocky out there. You need to take things more seriously if you’re going to make it out in one piece during the final match. If you don’t, you’re gonna get yourself killed!” Raphael finished tying the bandage off, straightening to place his hands on his hips. “It’s going to be hard enough trying to hide this from everyone.”

“Relax Raph,” Leo smirked, “I’ll just wear a hoodie this week. As for the ankle? I trip on like a daily basis, they won’t even ask about it. No one will find out.”

“No one, huh?” 

Suddenly the light flooded the room, and both Raphael and Leonardo screamed, scrambling to the corner of the room as they huddled against each other. Donatello swiveled around in Leo’s chair, stroking Sheldon’s head as he stared coldly at them. From behind him perched Mikey, scowling and shaking his head.

“Oh hey,” Leo stated plainly, nonchalantly leaning against the wall as he tried to cover his injuries. Raphael followed suit, attempting to smile. “Fancy seeing you guys here.”

There was a beat of unamused silence, before the role of gauze comically fell from behind the two rogues, bouncing off the tile to rest by Donatello’s feet. The boys all stared at it for a moment before Don quirked an eyebrow up at them.

Raphael floundered, still attempting to hide Leo’s battered form behind his massive arms. “Leo’s helping me perfect my first aid skills!” Raphael nervously laughed, waving his siblings off. “We definitely weren’t fighting in some, some barbaric tournament for money!” 

“Yeah, exactly!” Leo sputtered, looking anywhere but his brother’s eyes. “Big Mama, who’s that? Never heard of her.”

“Raph!” Donatello stated, putting his hands up in irritation. “I can smell the lies! Your literal ‘lying to your brothers and feeling bad about it’ stink is filling the room!”

Mikey plugged his nose. “Wow man, that’s strong. Even for you.”

“What? I’m not lying.” Raphael stuttered, still trying to fight a losing battle.

“Give it up man!” Mikey yelled, pointing a finger at them as his cat-like eyes squinted at them. “We know you’ve been fighting for Big Mama at the Battle Nexus in secret this whole time!”

“Alright fine! So what if we are?” Leo jumped down from his position, meeting Don as he stood to face him. “We’re not going to stop. Dad needs help, but he’s too stubborn for his own good.”

Donatello searched Leo’s face blankly, watching the fierce stare boring into him. After a while he sighed, dropping his gaze. “I wasn’t going to ask you to.” Donatello said sheepishly.

Mikey appeared from behind Don, his own disappointed look etched on his face. “Don’t you guys trust us? We weren’t going to stop you, but we could have at least supported you or helped keep this from Father.” Mikey’s voice was sad, it stabbed Leo’s heart in a way only family knew how.

“I…” Leo was taken aback, he had half expected them to tattle the moment they had found out. Not offer support. “I didn’t think you guys would even agree. No one backed me up whenever I brought it up to Splinter. I thought I was alone.”

“Of course you’re not,” Mikey offered, “we’re all just scared of disappointing Dad.”

Leo felt his older brother’s hand on his shoulder and turned to look behind him. Raphael smiled down at him. “We’ll always have each other’s back. No matter what. You don’t have to be alone in this.”

“Yeah,” Donnie added reluctantly, “if one of us disobeys Dad, we’re all going to get the brunt end of it.” He crossed his arms, smirking at Leo. “Might as well actually do something worth getting grounded over.”

Leo felt tears well up in his eyes. He reached out and grabbed his brothers, forcing them into a massive hug. “I love you guys!”

“Aw,” Mikey melted into their grasp as Raphael encircled them. However, as he squeezed, Leo cried out in pain. Immediately they released him, apologizing profusely. Leo clutched his side on the floor, dramatically proclaiming how he was dying.

Donatello chuckled, helping his brother to his feet. “Let’s get that properly covered before Dad finds out.”

“Finds out what?”

Every one of them froze. Slowly they turned to the entrance of the room. At the doorway stood Splinter, arms crossed. The color drained from all four brothers, now as white as ghosts. From the expression on their father’s face, they could deduce that Splinter had in fact found out what they had done.

“Aw, shell...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the comments, they make it worth sharing the story with you.


	6. Red-Handed

“I cannot believe this!” Splinter screeched, pacing in front of his four sons. All of them sat kneeling on the carpet of the living room, their eyes downcast. “Not one, but  _ four  _ of my sons, my  _ disobedient  _ sons went behind my back, after I  _ explicitly  _ told them several times not to go to Big Mama, and what do they do?” Splinter turned back to eye the bowing teenagers. “They do  _ exactly  _ that!”

“But Dad,” Leo started, perking his head up, “we’re so close to meeting the quota! If we only had another week or two more-”

“No!” Splinter’s piercing voice silenced his son. With a whoosh of his hand, a pink sandal flew at Leonardo, hitting him square in the face. With a squawk he reeled back, a red mark appearing where it had connected. “One fight is already too many! Just look at you,” Splinter motioned to Leo’s bandaged center, “how many injuries have you hid from me?”

“It’s not that bad!” Leo retorted.

“Oh?” Splinter chided sarcastically, stroking his beard. “Well then it’s all okay.” In one swift movement Splinter’s tail shot out to connect with Leo’s torso, causing him to double over. Tears filled his eyes as he wheezed through the pain. 

“S-See?” Leo attempted to say through gritted teeth, his voice was shrill as he tried not to whimper. “Doesn’t hurt at all!”

Splinter placed a hand on his chin, his face unamused. “Hmm, yes, doesn’t look very serious to me. My mistake. I guess all is forgiven then.”

“Really?” Mikey perked up, hopeful.

“No!” Splinter shouted, causing the orange turtle to sink into his shell. “You are all grounded! From both leaving this home, and from using your weapons!” All the turtles protested with outcries against their father. Splinter ignored them, swiping the weapons from their perch. “If you will not listen to your father willfully, then I have no choice but to force you to.”

“That’s not fair!” Leo yelled. “This is our choice to make, not yours!”

Splinter turned back to his son, his expression steely. “No Blue, as your father it  _ is  _ my choice. You are far too young to understand the lasting effect actions have on your life. It is my job to protect you until you are old enough to make those decisions yourself.”

“I only need to fight one more match!” This time Leo stood, facing off against his father. “I already made it to the finals, when the tournament is finished that’ll be it. No more matches. After that we’ll have enough money for both your treatment and food for like a year!”

“Enough!” Splinter silenced him. “There is no last match. Big Mama does not allow her champions to simply quit, Blue.” Splinter shook his head, massaging his brows with his free hand. “If you go down this path, Big Mama will never let you go. Not until you’re dead.” Splinter hoisted the weapons up higher as he stormed off to his room, shutting the door violently as he did.

In an instant, they were left alone. The four brothers stayed in their respective places, the silence deafening their thoughts. Suddenly, Leo collapsed back into the bean bag, curling slightly as he stared at the wall. Raphael and Donatello exchanged looks, the former biting his lip as he tried to think of something encouraging to say.

Mikey, however, was the first to speak up. “Don’t worry Leo, we still got our regular ol’ jobs.”

Leo continued to stare at the wall, mumbling back to his brother. “How are we going to get money if we’re all grounded?”

Again the silence continued. Donatello grimaced, knowing the low mood Leo was setting himself up in. It was frustrating feeling powerless, Donatello understood that. 

“I think we made a mistake.” Don placed a hand on Michelangelo, who had become downcast at his brother’s revelation. Before he had a chance to comfort him though, Leo spoke up again.

“I don’t understand, does he want to die?” Donatello looked to Leo, his shell blocking the expression on his face. Leo’s voice was quiet, as if he was only asking himself. “Why is he being so stubborn?”

Raphael looked at each one of his brothers, their forlorn expressions ate him up inside. He curled his fists, suddenly feeling determined. “Sit tight.” Raphael stood, causing all eyes but Leo’s to turn to him. “I’ll try reasoning with Pops.” Raphael nodded to the younger ones, walking silently out as his brothers watched on.

“Pops?” Raphael asked tentatively, knocking at his door as he opened it slightly. Splinter was sitting on his bed, rubbing circles around his eyes. With no response, Raphael moved inside, sitting next to Splinter. 

“Pops, I know we messed up. Big time. But please don’t ground all of us. Not right now. We have to keep earning money for your treatment. If you let us push it off until after your surgery, I promise you can ground us for however long you want. For forever if that’s what it takes. I’ll make them do their chores, I’ll even make sure nobody complains.” Raphael added, hopeful.

“I know, I just…” Splinter sighed, grabbing the framed photo next to his bedside. He thumbed the glass, eyeing the smiling faces of his sons. His own wilted expression stared back at him in the reflection. “I’ve seen so many creatures fall in that arena.”

Raphael was taken aback, shocked into silence as his father continued to share. “So many yokai, looking for fame, riches, or power. All of them, one way or another, found their way into the Battle Nexus.” Splinter placed the photo back on the stand lovingly. “Some managed to obtain what they had come there to find. But so many, so many found their own untimely end.”

Splinter turned to Raphael, who patiently sat waiting. “They change, the ones who fight, for better or worse the Battle Nexus changes them. I don’t want that for Blue. For any of you.” He grabbed the snapping turtle’s hand, stroking it with his thumb as he continued. “Big riches my son, always comes with a bigger price. You all may not see it now, but it is my duty as a father to decide which risks are worth sacrificing for, and which are not.” 

Splinter patted Raphael’s hand, smiling slightly. “Parents often have to take risks while raising children, though they cannot know the outcome. It’s a terrifying revelation to come to terms with. Like steering a ship in total blackness, only able to see a few yards at a time.” Splinter sighed, moving his hand away from Raphael. “You’ll never be able to understand just how much I love you all. My precious sons...I just hope that ensuring your safety is worth it if you end up hating your old rat of a father.”

“Pops…” Raphael reached out for Splinter’s hand again, squeezing it reassuringly. The words moved him to tears, and he sniffled as he tried to keep them from falling. “We already told you, there’s no one else we’d rather have as our Dad. Even before we found out you were Lou Jitsu, we loved you just the same, just like we do now, just like we will tomorrow.” 

Raphael hugged Splinter, letting the rare moment soak into his heart. His massive body enveloped the rat, who barely peeked out in the embrace. “Even if our own actions were disobedient, we didn’t do it to hurt you. We all just love you too much to watch you suffer through this any longer.”

Splinter couldn’t help but tear up in the arms of his oldest. “I know my son, I know.”

While the touching father-son heart to heart went on in Splinter’s room, outside the three remaining turtles had been arguing to themselves, coming up with plans to revolt against their ill father.

“It’s for his own good.” Donatello argued.

“Donnie, no! This isn’t the way!” Mikey said, slightly panicked.

“It’s only a couple weeks,” Donatello defended, “doctors do it all the time and people turn out just fine!”

“Guys stop,” Leo pinched his beak, “we can’t put Dad in a coma, it’s too dangerous.”

Donatello crossed his arms, huffing. “I give a simple solution to a simple problem, but do they listen? No.”

Leo ignored his brother, continuing, “We just need to figure out how to sneak out of the lair without him knowing.”

“Not to mention figure out how to get our weapons back from that impenetrable force our father calls his room.”

“What about those dummies you made?” Mikey inquired. 

“Oh yeahhh,” Leo drawled, “I forgot about those things. I wonder where I put them.”

“You’re not going to need to do any of that.” The three turned to see Raphael walking back into the room. 

“How was he?” Donatello asked.

“Is he still mad at us?” Michelangelo added.

Raphael sighed, placing his hands on his hips. “Alright, listen up. We’re still grounded.” Raphael waited for the collective groan to finish before continuing, ignoring the outburst. “But we’re allowed to go to our  _ normal  _ jobs.” Raphael emphasized, indicating to Leo. “Pops agreed to it on the condition that he keeps all our mystic weapons. He said it ensures that we won’t be fighting in the Battle Nexus anymore because, and I quote, ‘Even you four aren’t dumb enough to go in that nightmare tournament without them’.”

“Great.” Donatello said sarcastically as he threw up his hands. “We’re back to square one again.” His face planted into the cushion, allowing it to muffle his groans.

“That’s great news Raph!” Mikey piped up. “We’re so close to meeting our goal, it shouldn’t take that much longer.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble Miguel,” Leo retorted, “but without bringing in that Big Mama cash flow, we’re still a ways off.”

Donatello did the calculations, reporting his conclusion from the embrace of the pillow. “The finals would have pushed us into the green.” The three craned forward to make out the muffled words. “Right now we probably have another month or so, provided Leon finds a replacement job.” 

“Listen,” Raphael huffed, rallying them. “We just need to hold out a little while longer. We can do this! We’ve come so far already. We can’t give up now, not when we’re in the home stretch.” Raphael’s words reached his worn out brothers, smiling as they reached their fists together in solidarity. Leo, unable to make the trip, reached his good foot up into the huddle to slap the hand-stack.

“Alright, come on.” Donatello sighed, hoisting Leonardo up. “I want to x-ray your shell, make sure you don’t die of sepsis before Dad has a chance to chew you out again.” 

Leonardo groaned, wanting nothing more than to take a few pain pills and sleep it off. The two made their way into the lab, Donatello supporting his brother as he hobbled. He sat his brother down on a cot, gathering up equipment. Leo let his mind wander as his brother worked, absentmindedly noticing the unwrapping of his bandages.

“Man, you really messed up this time.” Donatello stated as he brought the small x-ray machine over. 

Leo rolled his eyes, not needing yet another lecture. “Save it Don-tron, I’m already aware Dad’s never going to trust me again.”

Donatello was silent for a moment, staring at his brother. Suddenly he placed the screen in front of his sibling’s torso. “Hold still.”

Leo complied, staring at the wall as he held in a breath as deep as his cracked shell would allow. He heard the click of the machine go off, followed by his brother’s uncharacteristically soft voice.

“I’m sorry.” 

Leo’s head whipped back. He eyed his sibling incredulously, who stared at the image on the screen in his hands, his expression surprisingly soft. 

“What for?” Leo asked suspiciously.

“For not being there.” Don placed the black and white screen aside, circling a few breaks in the shell where he wanted to place supports. “I knew you were doing something potentially dangerous.” Donatello moved to the cot, sitting beside his brother. He tapped his fingers against his thighs, eyes glued to the floor. “I was selfish. I didn’t want to know what you were doing, not as long as it meant Dad would be okay.”

Leo continued to stare at his brother, caught off guard by his normally distant sibling. Donatello sighed, gathering the courage that came so adversely when he wanted to apologize. “I should have confronted you sooner.” Donatello couldn’t help as his eyes wandered to his brother’s cracked plastron. “Maybe you wouldn’t have gotten so hurt if I had.”

Leonardo blinked at his sibling, not sure if he should be touched, or freaked out by this suddenly honest imposter of a brother. In the end, he couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips, a few betraying tears stinging in his eyes. He punched his brother’s arm playfully, “It wouldn’t have changed anything Dee, I made this decision myself. No one else. If I had wanted any of you to know, I wouldn’t have hesitated to haul your shells into my mess.”

Donatello chuckled, rubbing one of his eyes as it teared up. “As long as you promise not to hide any more injuries from us.”

Leo leaned forward, suddenly serious. “Don’t think that’s going to be a problem anymore. Starting tomorrow, we’re all going to have to work regular old, only harmful to our faith in humanity, jobs.”

Suddenly Don jumped down, moving in front of his sibling. “Uh, sorry to break your delusional bubble, brother, but you are not working on much of anything this week, let alone a job.”

Leonardo’s head shot up, panicked. “What are you talking about?”

Don motioned to Leo’s battered body, “Seriously Leon? If you think any of us, let alone Father, is going to let you go anywhere but your bed in your current state, I’m going to think you hit your head during your fight too.” Donatello crossed his arms.

Leo sighed, clearly frustrated. “I don’t have to do labor intensive jobs, I can work a booth or something easy!”

Donatello moved to grab the medical stapler, rubbing numbing cream against his brother’s side. Leonardo shivered at the cold cream, squawking in surprise. Don placed his goggles over his eyes, raising the instrument up as it whirred on. Leonardo gulped, suddenly regretting letting his brother tend to his injuries. 

“Trust me Nardo. Come tomorrow, you’re going to be so sore you won’t even be able to get out of bed.”

Come tomorrow, Don was right.

Leo spent the good portion of his time in bed, trying to sleep off the pain as his body finally felt the effects of his matches. Every movement jostled his bruised insides. His stomach burned as the only things his family could get him to ingest were water, bread, and pain killers. Thankfully by the end of the week, he felt strong enough to move about on his own, joining his brother’s at the dinner table for the first time since he became injured.

“Tonight’s a celebratory feast!” Mikey exclaimed, “Leo’s finally well, and yours truly got himself a raise!” Mikey posed, pointing at himself triumphantly.

“Nice work little bro!” Raphael stated encouragingly, rubbing the box turtle’s head as he presented tonight's dishes. There was a spread of greens and a nice stew in the middle, its warm aroma filling the kitchen as it awakened the boy’s appetite.

“Bon appetit, ya’ll!” Mikey stated, placing the fresh rolls on the table.

The three immediately dug in, complimenting the small chef. “Dang Mike, how do you have enough energy to work and cook up all this?” Raphael asked between bites, “I’m ready to fall asleep on the threshold right when I walk through the doorway.”

Mikey smiled sheepishly. “Nah, I usually am too, but when I saw that Leo was walking around today, I just got so excited I couldn’t help myself.” Mikey looked over to see Leo’s face, a surprisingly unexpected emotion on his features. Leonardo looked hurt.

Mikey cocked his head, Raphael noticing the silence of his brother. He turned to Leo, noting the same reaction. “Leo? You okay bud?” He looked down to his brother’s bowl, realizing that the spoon hadn’t moved from its spot on the table. “You haven’t even touched your food.”

From under the table Leonardo gripped his hands tight against his legs, staring at the steaming liquid. He gulped, pushing down the squeezing feeling in his throat. “You shouldn’t have Mikey.”

“What’s wrong?” Raphael asked, “You still don’t have your appetite back?” Leo kept staring at the bowl, simply nodding his head once. Raphael turned to Don. “He’s barely eaten anything all week. Don, shouldn’t he be better by now?”

Don continued to eat, unphased by the conversation. “Just force him to eat something if you have to. His body is probably too tired to tell his brain he’s hungry.”

Mikey turned back to his brother. “Is it the food? Is there something else you’d rather have Leo? I can make some banana bread if that would be better.” Mikey offered, wanting to help any way he could.

Leonardo looked up, slightly panicked, “No! No Mikey, this is perfect. I’m sorry you had to go through the trouble.” Leo smiled half-heartedly, picking up the spoon to stir the stew.

Mikey smiled, moving the basket of rolls closer to his brother. “Not at all bro, I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”

Leo silently sipped his soup as his brother’s talked, updating each other on their jobs. He picked apart his roll, making it seem like he was eating more than he actually had. He felt a confusing mix of emotions during dinner, bittersweet at best. He had barely spent much time with his family this past week, and truth be told he was lonely. 

They all had to work so much lately, especially with Leo down for the count. That left their own ailing father to be the one to check up on Leo every now and then. The overwhelming guilt Leo felt ate him up inside. The rule was that if they didn’t reach their quota for the week, they had to skip at least one meal a day to make up for it. But, with Leonardo unable to work, in his mind he shouldn’t have eaten at all. It was only fair.

His brothers had immediately berated him for thinking so, stating that he needed food in order to recover. Leonardo dropped it, realizing it was useless to argue. Whether it was right or not, in Leo’s head it made sense. They had all agreed to the terms, why should now be any different? In the end he ate as little as he could that week, every bite of food his brothers made him eat only increasing the guilt he felt. 

It was a sick cycle of emotions. He would miss his brothers, calling for them for even the smallest of things, some water, a book, the time. And after, he would feel happy for a moment, before the guilt replaced it. His brothers were working harder because of him. They were exhausted, because of him. And he was taking away their precious time because, why? Because he was lonely. Because he was starting to dread the long hours alone in his room. 

Leo felt an incessant buzzing in his head, his thoughts swirling in a confusing icky blackness of conflict. His body didn’t know how to process the scrambling thoughts, his anxiety appearing at an inopportune time. He wanted to move, leave, to be alone. His body begged him to. It only caused him to be more angry at himself. He had been lonely all week, why wasn’t he happier to be there?

Leo finally excused himself, deciding to return to his bed for the night. His brothers questioned him, but Leo simply said he was tired. No one followed him. Leo wasn’t sure if he was more relieved or disappointed at that. All he knew was that he couldn’t take it. He couldn’t take the overwhelming thoughts reminding him that he didn’t deserve to be there. 

He layed in bed, staring at the cold walls as his insomnia kicked in. He would have rather fallen asleep, at least then he could stop thinking for a time. He cursed himself for being so confusing. He wanted nothing more than to hang out and enjoy his brother’s company. But the other side of him that he felt seeping at every corner of his mind reminded him that he hadn’t earned that right yet. 

Not until he made things right.

Leonardo shook his head, he had to pull it together. Starting tomorrow everything would be fine. It’d all go back to normal. Once these bandages were off he would finally be able to start working again, taking part of the workload that was crushing his brothers. Then, the guilt would finally fade. He hoped.

Leo didn’t remember falling asleep, but when he woke, it was to an overwhelming sense of dread. He sat up, kicking off the sheets that clung to his sweating skin. He huffed, calming himself as he turned on the side table light. He tried to chase the dream, but it escaped quicker than he was able to follow. Still the dread clung, his body warning him of a false doom.

The open and pristine lab was a stark difference to the dark enclosure of his room that he had become so acquainted with in the last week. He sat on the cot across from Donatello. It was a complete opposite feeling being here, he felt exposed in the lab. Part of him wished he could crawl back into the shadowed comfort of his bed. He took a deep breath, shaking the thoughts as he readied himself.

“Alright, good as new!” Donatello hummed proudly, standing back as he stripped away the last of the bandages. 

Leo looked himself over, noting the crack in his plastron was almost completely invisible. “Not bad Dee! I look like a brand new turtle.” 

Donatello smirked, enjoying the stroking of his ego. “Of course, I am a master at my craft. But please, do go on.”

Leonardo sneered at him playfully. “Pretty sure welding doesn’t translate to medical expertise as well as you think.”

“Pish posh,” Donatello retorted. “I’d like to see you staple your own bridges together.”

Leonardo jumped from the cot, stretching to test his injuries. “Please brother, I bet I could become a better field medic than your sorry shell.”

Donatello whirled around to face his brother, electricity playfully dancing between them. “Is that a challenge, brother mine?”

“Oh ho,” Leo laughed, “you’re so on. When all this is over, I’m going to wipe that sorry excuse for a smile from your face.”

“Leo!” Mikey cried from the doorway, noting his un-mummified sibling. “Does this mean you’re all healed up?”

Leonardo flexed for his sibling, smiling. “You betcha bro, good as new.”

Mikey whooped with happiness, colliding with his sibling in a tight hug. Leo embraced him, noting the only pain he still felt was a dull ache in his side.

“Good,” Raphael said as he joined them. “You’re all here.” Raphael smiled at Leonardo’s condition, presenting a flier to him. “Now that we’re all working again, Pops said we have to check up with him during the day. Especially Leo. Not that he doesn’t trust us,” Raphael added, placing his hands together, “but he doesn’t trust us.”

“Ugh,” Leo complained. “Might as well just put trackers on all of us.”

Donatello crossed his arms. “He already tried that. I told him no.”

“Don’t worry guys,” Mikey said, bringing them closer. “Now that we’re all together again, time will fly by. Before we know it it’ll be raining green, baby!”

Although Mikey’s positivity did wonders for their motivation, it however did not last the week. Raphael had managed to find Leo a job in the Hidden City as a kiosk salesman, knowing his brother’s overused mouth would be perfect for advertising products. Leo had never felt time slow down so much. His week became a blur of sleep and stranger’s faces. 

At first he had to admit it was rather fun meeting so many new people, but once he realized how little he was actually being paid, he dreaded going into work. It was peanuts compared to Big Mama’s winnings. No doubt he had made the least amount out of his brothers this week. He had to find a second job. 

Leonardo opened his phone, knowing it was time for him to check in. Leo figured it was just the overprotective whims of a parent, but the calls had been like pulling teeth the last week. It was apparent that Splinter was still upset with him. The calls were short and awkward, Leonardo hadn’t apologized for what he had done. Truth be told, he didn’t think he had to.

The last couple of days Leonardo couldn’t take it anymore, opting to shoot him some fun selfies instead of calling. The texts were easier than the heavy atmosphere of the phone line. Splinter didn’t seem to mind the change however, simply sending a thumbs up in reply to the images each time. Leo wondered what his brother’s check ins were like.

One night after work Leo ducked into the allies to dumpster dive. He had brought a large box with him, intending to scrounge up as many machine and electronic parts as he could, knowing Don wanted to start selling things on the web to get extra cash. Most of it seemed like junk, but knowing his brother, he was a miracle worker. Once his box became overstuffed, he hefted it into his arms. 

“I hope Dee finds something useful in this.” Leo said to himself. It felt good to finally be able to contribute again. The guilt that ate him up the previous week had almost faded. Without his Odachi, the trek home was rather long. By the time he got to the sewers, his arms were practically falling off. He huffed as he made it to the lair, nearly dropping the box as he realized something important.

“Aw shell!” Leo cried, “I forgot to check in with Dad! Oh man, he’s totally going to chew me out and feed me to the sewer rats.” He groaned as he tentatively walked into their home.

“Hey guys!” he called out. “Can someone help me with this?” Oddly enough he was met with silence, he knew that at least one of his siblings had to have been home by now. Splinter had made them post their work schedule up in the kitchen. 

“Weird…” Leo stated to himself, hefting the box up as it began to slip. He moved farther in, wondering if he could make it up to Donatello’s lab with the box. “Yo! Anybody home?” Leo yelled, hoping his brother would appear to simply fly the parts up. Instead the response he got sent Leonardo’s head spinning.

A voice called out his name, afraid, guttural as it echoed from the back of the lair. His body moved on its own, dropping the parts instantly to dash for the source. His heart was left with the box as his blood ran cold. The icy tendrils of panic spread throughout his veins as the anxiety overcame him. He dashed past the living room, nearly tripping on the bean bag as he did.

_ Please, God please no, _ he prayed to himself. Had the liar always been this big? He reached the doorway, huffing unabashedly as he grabbed the frame for support. His eyes darted about the room, all the while still chanting those prayers. Finally he made out the forms of two of his brothers, Mikey and Raphael. Between them, laying on the floor, was their father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to leave you guys on a cliffhanger, but I'm taking a break to participate in the October Writing Challenge. Expect lots of horror for the next couple of weeks!


	7. Let's Make a Deal

Leo paced back and forth in the hall, trying to keep the nausea from turning his empty stomach into full blown vomit. The white halls and lights overwhelmed him, the sterile cold smell of the place giving him anything but comfort. He heard a voice from beside him, and looked up to see his brother’s tired eyes, coffee in both hands. 

“I just got off the phone with April.” Donatello held one of the cups out to him, offering it silently. Leo took it, if only to warm his numb hands. “She’s still at band camp right now, but she said she’d steal a car if she had to to get back.” Donatello huffed, straightening. “I tried to tell her to stay, but…I feel like I’m going to get yelled at later for that.” Donatello shivered.

For a while they sat, staring at the grey tiles as strange chimes occasionally rang overhead. Announcements calmly calling for staff echoed in the halls. They watched blankly as yokai nurses and doctors moved past them. After a long moment, Leo gathered the courage to ask, managing to croak out the words. 

“How is he?” The voice didn’t sound like him. The words felt distant, foreign, like someone else had said them.

Donatello glanced at him, noting the bags under his brother’s eyes. “Not good.” Donatello confessed, keeping his gaze no higher than his brother’s knees as he spoke. “The doctors say the tumor has grown large enough to impact his body functions. If he doesn’t get surgery soon…” Donatello trailed off, biting his lip, unwilling to admit what they knew was true. What they’d always known.

“Where are the others?”

“They’re with Dad,” Donatello said, swirling the coffee around. When Leonardo remained silent, Donatello continued.

“The doctors said even with all that we earned, we don’t have enough to start the procedure. Apparently even one percent is enough difference in paying upfront for treatment.” Donatello added snarkly. “Without a bank or our long-term work history to back us up, they don’t believe we’ll finish payments.” Donatello took a sip of the coffee, feeling suddenly quite angry. He watched another nurse as they brushed past them, whispering to himself. “Selfish createns…” 

Leo crushed the coffee cup in his hands, the hot liquid spilling over to burn his fingers as it splashed onto the floor.

“Leo!” Donatello jumped up in shock, moving away from the hot droplets.

Leonardo stood, tossing the cup with enough force that it bounced back from the wall, rolling to their feet. “I’m so sick of this!” Leonardo screamed, ignoring the steaming coffee. “I can’t take it anymore!”

Donatello held up his hands, his face stitched up in concern. “Leo, there’s nothing we can do-”

Leo turned towards his brother, his face scrunched up as tears stung in his eyes. “Stop! Stop saying that! We  _ can  _ do something!  _ I _ can do something! I could have been doing something this whole time!” His body language was aggressive, months of frustration and anger at his father, at himself, at the whole situation boiled out of him like a kettle. 

“I can’t do this anymore Don.” Leo stated with finality, shoving past his brother. 

“Leo, wait!” Donatello called after him. His brother ignored him, continuing to walk with purpose towards the exit. “Leo, don’t do anything stupid!” Don watched as the door connecting them fluttered close, leaving him the mess his brother made. “ _ Leonardo! _ ”

He strode past the never-ending doors, their white pristine accents indistinguishable from each other. As he moved farther away from the lobby however, he felt the anger he felt begin to fade, becoming that familiar hollow emptiness instead. He placed his hand against the door, it felt cold and uninviting. He looked up to see the room number. 




Their father’s room.

He hesitated for a moment before opening the door. He peered in silently, looking at the small form of his father laying on the bed, wires and tubes connected to him. It looked wrong. The white walls, white sheets, the beeping from the machines...they were wrong. The feeling curled his toes and pricked needles in his nerves. All of it was wrong. 

He heard the cries from his little brother as Mikey refused to leave Splinter’s side. His face was buried in Splinter’s chest, the muffled sobs like daggers in Leo’s heart. He watched Raphael’s back hitch as he tried to remain strong, comforting Mikey with fragile reasurances as he placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. Mikey blamed himself for not working hard enough. Raphael tightened his grip. 

“No. No Mikey, don’t say that. It’s no one's fault, bad things just happen sometimes.” 

Leo tried to listen to what they said, but the words simply traveled in one ear and out the other. A strange muffled tone of nonsense. Raphael attempted to keep up a strong appearance for his brothers. Just as he had through everything so far. But ultimately even he cracked under the weight, running out of the room before his tears could hit the floor. How quickly they forgot that he too, was still just a kid.

Raphael stopped abruptly as he exited, noting Leonardo at the doorway. He said something to Leo as he moved past, but Leo couldn’t catch it. His ears still rung with the overwhelming numbness. Raphael didn’t look him in the eyes. He couldn’t. Leo turned to watch him disappear out of the hallway, no doubt to join the brother that he had abandoned. 

His spiked shell vanished behind the double door, leaving Leo in the empty hall. The doors swung back and forth as they slowed, and finally his brain caught up with his ears.

_ “I wish I had never followed you to the Battle Nexus.” _

* * *

Leonardo pushed the button on the elevator with more force than necessary, anger still writhing inside him from his outburst earlier. 

“I should have done this from the beginning.” Leo mumbled to himself. He watched the dial on the elevator as it ascended, its slow reach to the top an agonizing wait.  _ All of this could be sorted out within a day _ , Leo thought,  _ I shouldn’t have let them talk me out of it. I can’t believe how stupid I was! _

The elevator chimed, and Leonardo felt the jump as it stilled. The door opened smoothly, revealing Big Mama’s office. Leo strode inside with purpose, his face set in determination. This was his last chance. His only chance. He called out to her, her small humanoid form sat in the chair opposite him. 

“I’m here to collect my winnings.”

The woman waved her henchmen away, taking a patient breath as she turned her attention to the turtle. Her face was unamused, not even an absurdly worded greeting on her lips. Big Mama flicked some stray crumbs from her table, chuckling as she glanced at the large orb on her ring. “Oh, my star child, after the stunt you pulled, you won’t be seeing a single dollop of that prize.”

Leo gawked at the woman, leaning forward. “You’re joking right?” He felt like the rug had been pulled out from under him. “You can’t keep the winnings from me, I won your silly little semi-finals match fair and square.” Leonardo reasoned. 

Big Mama stood, striding forward. The click of her heels echoing against the tall ceiling of the office. “Yes, well, my dear  _ turtlee-poo _ ,” She started, her small form warping and changing in a swirl of mystic to reveal her large yokai body. Large sharp legs smacked down intimidatingly on either side of the slider, causing him to jump as the floor shook. “That was  _ before  _ you so kindly decided to abandon the finals match, making a fool out of me and my ‘silly little’ Battle Nexus!” 

Leonardo gulped, suddenly wishing he still had his Odachi. Leo put up his hands in surrender. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I didn’t flake out of the match on purpose! Splinter found out I was fighting here and grounded me! I had no way to get out to the match!” The spider growled at him, her eyes narrowing in irritation. Leo continued, feeling the sweat start to form on his head. “You know me! You know how important this is to me! I wouldn’t miss out on purpose!”

Big Mama didn’t let up, smelling an opportunity rising. “Regardless of your intentions, the effect was still disastrous to my brand. My patrons paid top diggery dollar to see that fantabulous fight.”

Leo ground his teeth, not knowing what else he could leverage. “Let me fight in the match then, to make it up to you! I’ll even do it for half the earnings!”

Big Mama watched him, feeling the desperation ebb off the slider. She relished in it, knowing when her prey had been caught in a web. Big Mama leaned back, considering the offer. She hummed, turning back to the turtle. “I admit the crowd does love the showmanship in your matches, but I’m afraid it’s too late. The finals match has already finished.” She eyed him, watching his reaction.

Leo’s heart sank, his eyes searched the carpet as he thought. “What about a different match? Uh, uh rematch? A second tournament?”

She sat back, sighing dramatically. “No can do, I’m afraid. I have to take care into my next tournament thanks to the disappointment you set in my loyal customers.” Big Mama turned from him, waving to one of the workers behind Leo. “Perhaps we’ll have an opening next spring.”

Leo couldn’t help but flinch at the word ‘disappointment’. He turned away, panicking. This was his only shot, without the money from the match, there was no way they would get enough in time before Splinter…

The owl and fox workers stepped up to Leonardo, grasping him as they were waved off. The conversation was over. Leo looked between them desperately, fighting their grip as he whipped back to the spider yokai. 

“Wait, please! I can’t wait that long, you don’t understand!” Leo fought the two tooth and nail as they dragged him back towards the elevator. “Please Big Mama, there has to be something! Anything! Splinter doesn't have that much time left!”

He felt as though his soul had left his body. A thousand ‘what ifs’ swirled in his head, every moment that he had spent lying in his bed, sleeping, doing nothing, filtered in his mind like painful jabs to his gut. They reminded him of his mistakes. If he had only been quicker, faster, better at keeping things to himself, Splinter wouldn’t be lying there in that hospital bed hooked up to all those machines now. 

The door behind them rang, signaling the arrival of the elevator. Leo was dragged in, his arm shooting out to grasp the door frame in a last ditch effort. Leonardo closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. He pictured Mikey, his eyes red and swollen and puffy as he grasped their father’s hand at his bedside. He watched as Raphael’s eyes filled with tears as he finally let himself go, giving in to the silent cry that left you feeling hollow. He pictured Donatello, staring blankly at the wall, his thoughts who knows where as he escaped into whatever world he had created inside himself. 

He didn’t know how else to help them.

The two workers struggled to peel him from the frame so the doors could close, but Leo was surprisingly stubborn. 

“There has to be something!  _ Please! _ ” Leonardo didn’t care if he sounded desperate. At this point he was. He couldn’t deny it any longer. Big Mama held all the chips. Leonardo had nothing else to offer her other than himself. He could feel the tears stinging in his eyes. Nausea crept up in his throat, threatening to divulge what little remained in his stomach. He felt cold dread wash over him. His heart thumped wildly in his chest. If he went back to the hospital empty handed, after everything…

His mind went back to the image of his father, pale, laying still on the bed. He felt his hands begin to tremble. He wouldn’t let this become their future. He had come this far. No matter what happened next, he’d make it right. He needed to do this. He needed to prove to them that he wasn’t a failure. He needed to prove to  _ himself  _ that he wasn’t. 

“Just take me!” He screamed as his fingers began to slip. It didn’t matter what fate Big Mama had planned for him, as long as he had his family again, it was worth it. “I’ll do whatever you want!”

He heard a snap, and suddenly he was released. He lunged forward, colliding with the carpeted floor. His body shook, his breathing heavy as he righted himself. Leonardo looked up to see the woman turned towards them, the light of the window ominously silhouetting her large form. She tapped her claw against her chin, relishing the desperation that filled the silence.

Leo wasn’t a fool. He had no doubts that whatever it was Big Mama wanted, it was illegal, potentially dangerous, or would have serious consequences. At this point though, Leo was truthful when he said he’d do anything. The more he thought about living a life without their father, the more desperate he felt. 

Leonardo watched Big Mama as she tilted her head, her grin curling in a way that caused Leo to shiver. She crept up on him, slow, deliberate until she was inches from his face. 

“And here I thought you were too good for my other pet projects.” Big Mama teased, scraping a talon along the slider's shoulder. Leo watched her silently, waiting. She tapped her chin, thinking. “I do suppose I have this  _ one  _ other project I’ve been secretly weaving into fruition.” She eyed him as she laid down the hook, ready for her prey to latch onto it. “It’s a highly confidential experiment I’ve been collecting...participants for.” Big Mama hummed, leaning in close to the turtle. “I’ll tell you what, you agree to become my next volunteer, and I’ll make sure that little rat man gets all the treatment he needs.”

Leonardo’s expression remained serious. He needed to answer with a clear head. If he jumped into it blindly, he’d chicken out the moment things got too rough. Big Mama was ruthless, Leo was painfully aware of her games, the way she liked to alter contracts. Leo was confident he could outwit her, but not when she held all the cards. A minute passed as he considered. He would be accepting her deal blindly. Something his father reminded him time and time again was a bad idea.

The same father who was currently lying in a hospital bed because Leonardo had listened to him.

“Alright. I’ll do it.”

Big Mama grinned wolfishly, circling the turtle like a cat would a mouse. “Very well,” she purred. She grabbed at his chin, squeezing his jaw as she tilted it up at her. “It’s a deal.”

Leonardo swallowed, eyeing the six eyes boring into him. She released him, offering the same hand out to him in invitation. With only a slight hesitation, Leonardo grasped it. Offering a single tug to the outstretched hand of the bewitching yokai.

Big Mama squealed, clasping her hands together happily. “What a splendiferous answer!” Big Mama wasted no time ushering him towards the wall. “Right this way you handsome little devil.”

Without another word, Leo followed the spider yokai into a side room. They moved onto a golden plated platform by the wall. She pulled the lever, the two descending into the depths rapidly. The elevator dropped with such speed that Leo had to grip the rail just to keep from flying into the ceiling. 

With each floor they passed, Leonardo felt the invisible chains of his actions constrict against him tighter. He tried to ignore them, thinking only about his family. If they found out what he did… Leonardo shivered.  _ If Splinter lives, it won’t matter. I've come this far. I can't go back now. _ They had already suffered enough. If Leo could end all this by taking on the weight himself, then he would. 

Perhaps it was selfish, Leo thought. Doing all this just so that he didn’t have to see the lost look in his sibling’s eyes, the puffy tear-riddled face of Mikey, the pale and tired form of his father, the distant zoned out look on Donnie...or the frustration, the disappointment on Raphael’s face. He couldn’t bear to see his brothers so heartbroken, to watch their father slowly wither away. They didn’t all need to suffer. Leo could bear it. He could bear it all for them.

He couldn’t fool himself. He wasn’t doing this for noble reasons. He was doing this because he was weak. Because he wasn’t strong enough to hold out like his brothers. Leonardo didn’t offer much in terms of being a part of a team. His feigned confidence only got him so far. His sword was the best part about him. Maybe it was being a middle child that brought about these feelings, Leo wasn’t sure. All he knew was he needed this. He needed to prove to himself, to his family, to anyone that he wasn’t useless. That he could be a hero too.

Suddenly the elevator lurched to a stop, sending Leo to the ground with a yelp. He righted himself in time to follow Big Mama out and into a dark hallway. Darkened doors lined the halls. Aside from the numberings, they all practically were identical to each other. The temperature was noticeably colder here, causing him to shiver. He caught a strange stench, harsh and foreign, sharp in his nostrils. For a moment he thought he was back in the hospital. 

Big Mama continued to stride forward, farther and farther from the light. He caught the slight glimmer in her red eyes as she glanced back at him. He felt a nagging voice in his brain warn him. Someone screamed in his mind to run, to turn back before he no longer had the choice. But Leonardo could never live with himself if he did. And so he waved the voice away, choosing to follow her. Only once did he look back at the elevator, just in time to see the doors close, leaving them in total darkness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I know it's short, seasonal depression is really kicking my ass this year.


End file.
